Easy green steps
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Use one reusable water bottle and save using 167 plastic water bottles per year
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Remember your travel coffee cup and save up to 500 single-use cups from landfill per year
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Turn your computer off overnight and save enough energy to cook six microwave meals
University of Cambridge Environmental Sustainability Report 2020
What we are up to month by month in 2021
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January: Mindful movement>>
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February: Time to Talk - focus on Mental Health>>
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March: Focus on water conservation>>
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April: Planting Seeds and growing food
Let's grow something, even if it's only on a windowsill. Perhaps something edible.
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May: Transport
Lets cycle and walk as safe and low-carbon ways to get about
Working from home: meet our plants
With more of us working from home we wanted to share our plants.
Houseplants have shown to have psychological benefits:
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An improved mood
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Reduced stress levels
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Increased worker productivity (adding plants to office environments in particular)
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Increased speed of reaction in a computer task
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Improved attention span (in some scientific studies, but not all)*
Alice Jondorf
Undergraduate and Administrative Assistant; Green Team EEC; Wellbeing Advocate and Mental Health Champion
Plant species: Christmas Cactus (Schlumbergera)
"My plant is a memento from an old lady I was friends with who died at the start of this year. I’m so happy that it is in flower, as I watered it faithfully for months before it suddenly produced a whole bunch of buds."
Livia Harriman
Communications Coordinator
Plant species: Lucky tree or Jade plant (Crassula ovata)
"My plant is a succulent I grew from a leaf of a friends plant and is as old as my four-year-old son Teddy. It's our lucky tree. (He insisted it have fairy lights)"
Dawn Bradley
Administrator, Centre for Development Studies; Green Team EEC
Plant species: Prunus 'Shirofugen' (Japanese Flowering Cherry)
"My plant is a cherry blossom tree we planted in the garden when we moved house when I was a child. Every Spring I still love sitting underneath it and looking up at the beautiful bunches of flowers against the sky."
Annabel Sherwood
PhD Administrator, Centre of Development Studies
Plant species: Common oak tree (Quercus Robur)
“Long daily walks take me past this oak tree, up on a hill with views towards woodland where I have seen spotted fallow deer and looking over fields where lanky grey hares chase each other. It is, in Hesse's words, a ‘beautiful strong tree.’”
Rebecca Leam
Communications Coordinator, Bennett Institute for Public Policy
Plant species: Daffodil, (Narcissus pseudonarcissus)
“Different flowers mean different things to me. The daffodil signifies 'hope' that longer, brighter, warmer days, are on their way."
We are committed to reducing the environmental impact of the department.
We are a member of Green Impact Universities and Colleges, an accreditation and award scheme run by the NUS. For the academic year of 2020-21, we are aiming for the Silver Award.
Some of our ongoing Green Team projects are:
- Signs in Alison Richard Building reminding people to switch off lights, reduce water use and recycle wherever possible
- Tap water provided for departmental meetings
- Water coolers linked to the mains, not using bottled water
- Double-sided printing used wherever possible
- All visitors advised on public transport options
- Staff encouraged to use environmentally friendly ways to get to work
- Tele/Videoconferencing promoted for meetings
- Green Team newsletter
Find out more by getting in touch>>
Find out more about the University's Green Impact>>
Find out more about the University's sustainability work
Green Team Travel Tips
Ways to travel to the Alison Richard Building
Park and Ride
Cambridgeshire County Council runs a 'Park & Ride' service from Madingley Road, just off Junction 13 of the M11 to the West of Cambridge. Take the U bus and alight at the stop called 'West Road University Library', which is opposite the Alison Richard Building.
Find out more on the County Council’s Park and Ride>>
By Bus
The U bus runs between Addenbrooke's Hospital and Eddington, via the railway station, Trumpington Street, Silver Street and the West Cambridge site; and the Citi 4 runs between the bus station and the West Cambridge site. Buses run between about 7 am and 7.30 pm Monday to Friday, with buses between the West Cambridge site and the city centre 8 am to 7.40 pm Saturdays. There are four buses an hour at peak times, and three buses an hour off-peak.
By Bike
For those wishing to cycle, there is a large covered bike shed alongside the Alison Richard Building, in addition to the numerous bike racks elsewhere on the Sidgwick Site.
Did you know about the wonderful interactive online cycle map from CycleStreets?
Find a safer, quieter or quicker route for you to cycle today>>
We are also hoping to introduce a Pool Bike, available to borrow from reception, for quick trips around town.
By Train
Trains run regularly to Cambridge from both London King’s Cross and London Liverpool Street. If you are coming from the North, it is advisable to change at Peterborough. The Universal Bus runs a direct route from the station to West Road.You will need the University Library stop, and the Alison Richard Building is on the opposite side of the road.