Did you know?

Leaving your computer on overnight wastes enough energy to cook 6 microwave meals

Leaving one light on overnight for a year produces as much C02 as a car drive from Cambridge to Paris

Turning down the temperature by 1°C can save 8% of your heating costs

 

POLIS is 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. 

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
• 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

We have also organised several Christmas Jumper days (to highlight the ideal office temperature of 18ºC), a stationery amnesty (to encourage staff to return unused stationery) and plan to provide other events.

In 2016 the POLIS department was runner up in the Environmental Impact Award category for creating a new online admissions database that saves 6000 sheets of paper a year.

In 2017 the Green Team was delighted to achieve the Gold Award. 

If you would like to find out more about our Green Team projects, or have any ideas on other ways POLIS can reduce its environmental impact, please contact enquiries@polis.cam.ac.uk or come and see us in the POLIS office on the first floor of the ARB. 

For more information about Universities and Colleges Green Impact, click here

Green Team Travel Tips

Ways to travel to the Alison Richard Building

Park and Ride

Cambridgeshire County Council run 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. For more information on the County Council’s Park and Ride listings click here.

By Bus

The U bus runs between Addenbrooke's Hospital and the Madingley Road Park & Ride, via 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 7am and 7.30pm Monday to Friday, with buses between the West Cambridge site and the city centre 8am to 7.40pm 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: http://cambridge.cyclestreets.net/

We also have our 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. West Road is a 10 to 15 minute taxi ride from the railway station.