Students' Union wins highest award for green impact in the community
Plymouth University’s Students’ Union (UPSU) has received the highest award possible by the National Union of Students (NUS) for its green efforts.
Further detail
The Green Impact Excellence Outstanding award reflects dedication to positive environmental action over the last year, turning UPSU into a hub of sustainability at the heart of our wider community.
The award recognises the work members of the UPSU have devoted through a range of student led volunteering projects including ‘Wild Patch’, a project to help alleviate a growing concern of ‘nature deficit disorder’ where children are spending less time outdoors, along with combatting the growing lack of knowledge about local wildlife in the community.
Sarah Bowman, Student’s Union President said: “This is a great achievement for our students and staff, leading the way with positive action on environmental issues in the Plymouth community. The Green Impact award really confirms that Plymouth University students are at the forefront of environmental action and are having a positive impact in our local community.”
Over 100 Students’ Unions across the UK took part in the Green Impact competition this year, taking actions like combatting the declining honey-bee population, setting up ethical credit unions, and promoting health and wellbeing across the wider community.
Dom Anderson, NUS Vice President (Society and Citizenship) said: “Every single year, the reach and influence of Green Impact has continued to expand – and this has been the biggest year yet. It is more than just making sure students’ unions building cut down on waste and save energy. It’s about embedding habits in students which last for a lifetime, and getting them out into their communities. I’ve been so inspired to see the continued dedication to driving student-led environmental action this year, and so proud of what unions like UPSU have achieved.”
UPSU has encouraged children at five Plymouth Primary and Infant Schools to engage in ‘wild patches’ in their school grounds, on top of adding interactive and fun classroom sessions that have increased the children’s knowledge concerning key areas of our natural world.
Plymouth University’s Professor Richard Stephenson, Pro Vice-Chancellor of Student Experience, said: “The University is one of the greenest in the world, and that is testament to the commitment and enthusiasm of our students and to UPSU, who work in partnership with the University in creating a culture of sustainability. This is also recognition of the outstanding, and often unsung, contribution our students make to the local community, in particular their commitment to engaging with, and inspiring young children in Plymouth.”
Green Impact offers a framework for staff and students to improve the ethical and environmental credentials of their union. Following a full environmental audit, UPSU was rewarded for their achievements as part of the annual gala dinner at NUS Services Convention
