If you’re considering studying GSD, chances are you’re also interested in what the university does for sustainability. Luckily, Warwick has several projects aiming to reduce its environmental footprint, many of which GSD students have been heavily involved in!

For instance, every term, the university runs the Cut the Flow challenge, which rewards the accommodation block that reduces its water and electricity consumption the most compared to the previous year. In fact, my flat won it during my first year, and we were all rewarded with Eating at Warwick credit (money to spend at the University's outlets). A lot of effort is taken to reduce waste, for instance RAWKUS, a group who work in conjunction with the SU, Warwick Accommodation, Warwick Estates, and Warwick Volunteers to run volunteer collections of leftover food (such as unopened packets of dry foods, cans, etc.) and goods (such as clothes, cooking utensils, etc.) which are then donated to food banks and charities or sold at a low price to students at the start of the year. Swap Shops are another SU initiative, allowing people to donate old clothes in exchange for other second-hand clothes.

A new project started this year is Warwick Cup, spearheaded by three GSD students, aiming to reduce use of single-use coffee cups on campus. Customers get the opportunity to get their drink in a reusable coffee cup, which they then return to one of the collection points on campus. If you go to Curiositea, the coffee shop next to the SU next time you visit campus, you can ask for one! You can find out more about the recent launch of Warwick Cup here. Meatless Mondays, as well as Meatless Month, are also initiatives that GSD students and the GSD department were heavily involved in. Campus food outlets have committed to offering new and varied vegetarian options on Mondays, and throughout the whole month of January, aiming to increase consumption and awareness of plant-based products.

Many more initiatives exist, feel free to research them on the university website or the SU website.

Charlotte Flechet

Second-year Single Honours GSD student

Friday 20 March 2020