Hello! I’m Molly, a current zoology undergrad and I’m going to be giving you my top 5 ways to go greener on the Penryn campus.
1. Join the societies!
There are some really brilliant societies to join that have a keen focus on sustainability and protecting nature.
Penryn Produce – Collect a bag of locally grown fruits and veggies every Thursday for only £7. A great way to get in your 5-a-day and support local farmers!
Green Living Falmouth – Holds weekly allotment sessions, where you can get your hands dirty and plant some organic veggies with the team. They even organise picnics where you can try the home-grown produce and other local foods.
Wild Doc Society – A great way to get into the world of natural filmmaking and media, hosting film nights and monthly talks from guests (previously including talks from Steve Backshall, Jack Randall and Elizabeth White).
Ecosoc – One of the biggest societies down here, Ecosoc holds moth trapping, bird watching, bird ringing, guest talks and lots of other environmental activities that will make you feel so lucky to have access to Cornwall’s variety of wildlife.
2. Ensure you have a food waste caddy
Recently introduced food waste bins on the Penryn campus are a great way to start thinking about the environment. This food waste is composted and used to grow EVEN MORE beautiful plants around campus (more info here! https://fxplus.ac.uk/food-recycling-success/).
3. Re-use, Re-use, Re-use!
I hope that most of you are already using refillable water bottles! If not, there are some great ones available in the Penryn campus shop along with plastic-free fruits and vegetables and even refillable dried foods.
4. Volunteer
Sustainability week is one of my favourite uni organised events! Running every year, it is a great time to get involved and volunteer in some hands-on nature experience. Moth walks, repair and re-wear workshops, quizzes and guest speakers are just a few examples of previous activities (last year’s sustainability week -> https://www.thesu.org.uk/voice/campaigns/sustainabilityweek/).
5. Talk to the SU
The student union is there to hear your thoughts and ideas on how to improve sustainability and eco-awareness on campus. They are really lovely people so if you have any ideas or suggestions about the uni’s sustainability then trust me, they are brilliant people to talk to about enacting change.