Information Services Environmental Sustainability Group

The Information Services staff are committed to supporting the Universities core values in achieving and sustaining environmental sustainability.

As part of the Universities plan to build a more sustainable University and reduce our environmental impact we have a team of staff who take a leading role in putting into place practical and achievable environmental improvements. Please read the

 University commitments and the  programme of environmental improvement  

Last year we achieved bronze status at both the Stafford and Stoke sites in the Green Impact Awards and this year we will be aiming to achieve silver or gold. Read more about the University Green impact awards 

It has taken a lot of hard work and commitment to achieve bronze status in the department and many colleagues in Information Services have been involved with supporting a number of different initiatives.  The main areas for which we were awarded our bronze award are:-

Communication and Planning

• We have dedicated points of communication to aid with the promotion of environmental issues.  These include poster holders and a portable notice board in the Thompson library, a fixed display board in the Nelson and Law libraries and Octagon IT Centre,  and posters in the IT centre in the Brindley building. Information on the green agenda will also be included as part of the induction package in order to help new staff understand the importance right from the start.

Energy Saving

• A lighting and equipment responsibility plan has been created to cover all offices with occupancy of more than two staff. This is designed to ensure that lighting and equipment is not left on un-necessarily.  These plans are displayed in relevant offices and are available on the IS wiki.  Posters and stickers have also been produced reminding users to turn off lights and equipment when not in use. As well as this, energy audits of Thompson, Nelson and Cadman have taken place and all banks of three or more light switches have been labelled to show which switch operates which light.

Printing

• Staff in IS have been encouraged to consider the need to print documents and all printers have been set to print black and white duplex by default.  EP4 recycled paper is now used in all black and white printers within IS and staff have been advised on which paper to fill the printers with.

Transport

• Within the last 6 months we have promoted the benefits of the University's car share scheme and advised staff to utilise the X1 intersite bus service where ever possible.  We have also informed staff of the benefits of buying a new bike on the tax benefits scheme as well as the cycle training programme.  These have all been advertised and promoted through the weekly news letter Connect.   

Waste Recycling 

• There are paper recycling bins in all staff areas including offices and meeting rooms and by all MFPs in the IS controlled areas of the Thompson, Nelson and Law libraries and the Brindley and Octagon IT centres.   As well as this we have encouraged staff and students to recycle as many other materials as possible at the various recycling points in the department including batteries, stamps, cans and plastic bottles.

In addition to the work we have done in achieving bronze which is still ongoing, Information Services has undertaken a number of new initiatives to achieve the silver, and possibly bonus, award:

Reducing Waste

• We have dedicated cardboard recycling points available

• We are collecting pens with TerraCycle in aid of Katharine House Hospice.

• We are collecting inkjet and toner cartridges with Recycling Appeal in aid of Staffordshire Wildlife Trust.

• Mobile phones are recycled with emc (Environmental Mobile Control) in aid of Katharine House Hospice.

• We have set a target to reduce our departmental printing by 10% annually.

• We have promoted water efficiency awareness with a poster campaign.

Energy Saving

• A SMART Action Plan has been developed to address the department's most significant negative environmental impacts.

• End Of Use Shutdown Checklists have been displayed in all meeting, teaching and seminar rooms to remind users to turn off equipment. 

• We have encouraged staff, and other users, not to heat offices to more than 21 degrees and to maintain the air conditioning systems at 24 degrees. 

• An inventory and booking system has been created for all portable heaters.

Transport

• Sustainable travel has been promoted to all staff (i.e. cycling, car share schemes).

• Visitors to the Libraries and IT Centres who access the IS web site for directions are guided to the University's sustainable travel web pages.

Greening Teams and Communication

• We have actively encouraged student involvement, and as a result, two students have joined the IS Environmental Working Group.

• A special edition of Connect (the weekly IS Newsletter) has been produced to promote green issues to all IS staff.

The IS environmental group would like to say a big thank you to everyone who has supported and / or been involved in any of the above initiatives, may this continue over the coming year in order for Information Services to go on to achieve silver and gold status and work towards promoting a more environmentally friendly and sustainable department.

We would also love to hear your comments, suggestions and any feedback you may have.  Please send these toisegroup@staffs.ac.ukand we will look at, discuss and hopefully implement these ideas.