The University of Westminster hosted a series of activities and events across the campuses this year for Sustainability Week on 17-21 February. These events highlighted sustainability at Westminster and allowed students and colleagues to learn how to live sustainably in London.
Westminster started the week with cycling-related activities on Marylebone Campus, offering free cycle maintenance, bike security marking and a chance to win hire bike discounts from Forest Bike, Westminster’s new cycling partner. A guided cycling tour between campuses, joined by members of the Westminster Cycling Campaign, helped participants build confidence and road safety skills. The University also supports and promotes cycling through a bike purchase scheme and Cycling UK membership, providing insurance, discounts and advice to cyclists in the UK.
On Tuesday, the University hosted a Reuse and Repair Fair on Harrow Campus, including a clothing repair workshop in the Conscious Fashion Space, a waste and recycling quiz and an E-waste Amnesty Box for electronic donations. Westminster aims to improve its 44% recycling rate by introducing food waste and coffee cup bins.
The University held its third pop-up market powered by Hazaar, a campus-based student marketplace. The online and onsite shop exclusive to the University offers the opportunity to buy and sell preloved and homemade items, making the term more affordable, stress-free and kind to the planet, while enhancing Westminster students’ employability.
The week was highlighted by a Sustainable Careers panel on Regent Campus, where industry experts, including alumnus Nuria Revuelta Sanchez, founder of The Dyas, Lily Green from Hubbub and Alice Cornwell from Kensington and Chelsea Council, shared career insights. Students were able to learn from their journey into a career in sustainability and how they can develop skills to enter the sustainability industry. The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Network was launched the next day at Fyvie Hall on Regent Campus, which will bring sustainability-conscious Westminster students, colleagues and alumni together to connect on SDG-related activities and initiatives across the campuses.
This was followed by a Biodiversity Creative Session the next day on Cavendish Campus. Activities included making bug hotels to put in attendees’ gardens or balconies to provide shelter for insects, and a plant propagation workshop to promote green spaces.
The final day saw the Energy and Carbon Roadshow on Marylebone Campus, focusing on Net Zero goals, energy reduction and carbon footprint awareness. Events included an interactive carbon game to find out more about energy and carbon at the University, and a water bottle design competition which allowed participants to create a new eye-catching design to be showcased on the University’s water bottles to reflect its sustainability ambitions.
Dularee Goonetilleke, Sustainability Coordinator at Westminster, said: “We would like to thank all the students and colleagues who participated in Sustainability Week this month. It was fantastic to see so many members of the Westminster community getting involved in sustainable initiatives on campus.”
This series of events for Sustainability Week directly contributes to all United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDG). Since 2019, the University of Westminster has used the SDGs holistically to frame strategic decisions to help students and colleagues fulfil their potential and contribute to a more sustainable, equitable and healthier society.
Learn more about Sustainable Development at the University of Westminster.
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