sustainability bulletin University of Tasmania
ISSUE 14 May/June 2020
Food relief support programs in Tasmania
What could your future career in Sustainability look like
AT A GLANCE
The University of Tasmania has been carbon neutral certified since 2016 under the Australian Commonwealth Climate Active Carbon Neutral Standard. As part of the certification, we offset our greenhouse gas emissions by investing in projects that prevent, reduce or remove emissions. UCapture is a green-tech platform that offsets our University’s carbon footprint, for free, when you shop online. We are not asking you to shop more (please don’t!) but to let UCapture work while doing your usual shopping. How does UCapture work? 1. Visit this link to get started: www.ucapture. com/UTAS 2. Install the UCapture Extension. It works in most browsers including Edge, Firefox and Chrome. 3. Join UCapture: create your account. 4. Let it work: you don’t have to do anything else. UCapture will automatically activate 25,000+ stores when you go to their website, triggering them to fund certified carbon offset projects when you shop. Selected offset projects support forest regeneration and biodiversity, biogas to energy, wind energy and energy efficiency in six countries around the world. What’s in it for you? • Save the planet: help combating climate change by earning carbon offsets for free. Fight climate change and help the University to maintain its carbon neutral certification – for free
Exciting new ventures for sustainability at UTAS
Bringing these activities together allows the potential of even greater synergies to be gained for the benefit of all the organisations and programs involved. Are you interested in driving actions and solutions for climate change? The Global Climate Change Week Committee is looking for UTAS staff to join the committee to support and deliver the project Send through a very short EOI by COB Friday July 10 to Professor Fred Gale (Fred.Gale@utas. edu.au) or Dr Kim Beasy (Kim.Beasy@utas. edu.au). They can be contacted on the email address listed above for any questions too.
The University of Tasmania has taken a huge step forward in our involvement with sustainability leadership both internally, locally and globally. With strategic funding and staffing support endorsed by the University Sustainability Committee, the UTAS Sustainability Team are now providing facilitation and administrative support to a number of organisations and initiatives (see article on page 3), including the internal University EfS Community of Practice, the multi-partnered group EfS Tasmania and Global Climate Change Week, with the latter program transferring from the University of Wollongong through 2020.
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UCapture does not track your browsing or collect personal information.
If you have questions or comments, please contact the Sustainability Team
Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020
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Congratulations to the SIPS students from semester 1 2020!
Sustainability Integration Program for Students
On Monday June 1, staff and students were invited to join project presentations by SIPS students. Thank you to Kawinwit Kittipalawattanapol (Ink), Eloise Bennett, Rani Greig, Tim Boyle, Ellen-Rose Sorensen, Zi Long Chow, Mahalia White-McColl, Mary (Jess) Jeyasingham, Sharifah Syed-Rohan, Jess Flint and Kenneth Wu for their presentations. Student have adapted their projects to working from home this semester, and we are impressed by their commitment to continue their work during these challenges and to acknowledge the barriers to working from home. In this issue we hear from two of the SIPS interns about how they have done this. How are we working towards sustainability goals at the University? My main project goals were to assess the energy use of the Launceston Clinical School and assess areas for improvement, as part of a social and moral responsibility for future medical practitioners…I really like that I manage to do this project because with the readings I understand the role of buildings in energy consumption, how they contribute to greenhouse gasses and climate change and also to prepare questions for the building manager. My project is awaiting data and the lifting of restrictions before I can do more. I am looking to identify unnecessary energy consumption and reduce it, and in the long term hopefully this will increase what is called ‘planetary consciousness’ in other health care professionals. Zi Long Chow, SIPS Intern semester 1 2020 My project was a student engagement project designed to communicate sustainability on campus, and to achieve this I created a podcast talking about the work that the University has done in the past…students only tend to see the end product of these projects and not necessarily the process, so my task was to peel back the curtain and let people in to see the process for achieving sustainability goals… Through the research phase I narrowed down the focus to energy, waste and transport and added carbon management because that was a huge part of the story and sustainability
governance. [Through interviews with staff and students] I created stories that show how a project comes from being an idea in someone’s head to something that students can actually see and interact with on campus…. when I started I didn’t know how an organisation becomes certified carbon neutral, talking to people, listening to their stories and how passionate they are about their jobs was really rewarding… A week before I was due to finish UTAS was ranked third [in the Times Higher Education Rankings] for climate change action… I realised how through small steps and small actions that people do on campus we can actually achieve a very major global goal… and seeing how all the small steps fit together to end up with this amazing outcome was really rewarding. Ellen-Rose Sorensen, SIPS Intern semester 1 2020 Check out Ellen’s Sustainability@UTAS podcast Congratulations to Kawinwit Kittipalawattanapol (Ink) who has finished his SIPS Fellowship on biodiversity engagement for students and updating biodiversity information in the Natural Space Management discussion paper. In recent decades due to changes in how we live, the move to more urban areas and spending more time looking into screens people might not have a chance to go out into nature and there is a sense of disconnect. Therefore, my project is to help address this issue and to help protect natural values by increasing intrinsic values and encouraging lived experience for students and people surrounding UTAS campuses. The aims of my project were to promote intrinsic values of nature and biodiversity around the University and Tasmania and to help with conservation of those values, as well as to help students orientate around campuses while learning about natural values. I enjoyed learning about the natural values on the campuses and surrounding areas, and how we can be involved in the decision-making processes and through citizen science. Kawinwit Kittipalawattanapol (Ink), SIPS Fellow 2019-2020
Green Impact, our staff sustainability engagement program Congratulations to the Student Mobility team who are leading in the points this week and welcome to the Reach Out! CoSE Community Engagement team! Join the Green Impact Yammer group for regular #actsofconnection run by the ACTS team with staff from other Australian and New Zealand universities, so far there has been an online yoga class, plawking (picking up rubbish on a walk), a class with tips on looking after indoor plants and a challenge for World Earth Day! The students involved in the program, the Green Impact Project Assistants, are looking forward to supporting teams through pre and post audits in semester 2. In the Yammer group we are sharing ideas for actions that you can do from home as well. Ask us if you are unsure how your activities might fit in the Green Impact program.
Do you have a
great idea and would
like to pitch a project for students in 2021?
Head over to the SIPS webpage to nominate a project for next year.
Attendees at the SIPS end of semester 1 presentations, 2020.
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Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020
What is it? What does it mean? How can you get involved?
What could your future in a sustainability career look like? In April and May, the University of Tasmania’s Sustainability and Careers Teams co-hosted two virtual events, the University’s first virtual Sustainability Careers Panel and Expo. On 23 April the Sustainability Careers Panel introduced three UTAS alumni who discussed how sustainability has shaped their careers and the experiences and skills that helped them land their exciting roles. Students had the opportunity to speak with Pratik Vhatkar, a former SIPS student currently working for the Department of State Growth, Jenni Klaus from the CoSE Science Engagement Team and the co-director of March 4 Earth, and UTAS Climate Scientist Tom Remenyi who works in the Climate Futures Research Group. Following the April Panel event, on 7 May the Sustainability Careers Expo was an opportunity for students to virtually network with industry partners and learn about how they apply the United Nations Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) within their organisation. Industry partners also presented on graduate internship opportunities and volunteer programs for students. Ten organisations presented at the Expo including Hobart Airport, Tasmanian Climate Change Office (Department of Premier and Cabinet), Ombudsman Tasmania, Bicycle Network, Hydro Tasmania, Tasmanian Land Conservancy, TasNetworks, Landcare, Parks and Wildlife Discovery Rangers and Eat Well Tasmania. Thank you to the Panel and Expo presenters, MCs and the attendees who made these events such a success! Students can access recordings of the Sustainability Careers Panel and Expo in Career Connect > My Career Essentials > Resource Library. Staff can access the recordings by contacting the Sustainability Team.
Sustainability Tracking Assessment & Rating System (STARS) in 2010. This rating system has four levels Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum and is currently used by the Sustainability Team at UTAS to assess the progress of sustainable action on campus. AASHE recently released a guide aligning the STARS framework to the SDGs, this document will help universities such as our own, who are signatories for the SDGs, to track and report our contribution towards them. Read more on different institutions sustainability initiatives and their STARS ranking on the STARS portal. Staff and students at UTAS can connect with AASHE through the AASHE bulletin and social media or using your ACTS login to access member-only resources and trainings. Explore United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland higher education sustainability efforts through the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education with the EAUC. EAUC: the Alliance for Sustainability Leadership in Education are a not-for-profit, member-based charity, run by members for members since 1996 based in the UK and Ireland. EAUC helps leaders, academics and other professionals drive sustainability to the heart of their post- 16 education institutions. EAUC were the originators of the Green Gown Awards and lead across the world in sustainability in education, including an impressive resource collection available to ACTS members for free. Connect with fellow Tasmanians through EfS Tas. Education for Sustainability Tasmania (EfS Tas) is a group of local passionate individuals using education as the main tool of engaging with sustainability. This locally based group works with its partner organisations to increase and provide resources for sustainability education projects. EfS Tas is a United Nations-recognised Regional Centre of Expertise in Education for Sustainable Development with UTAS as a core steering group member. If you’re passionate about sustainability education or would like access to resources on sustainability education, become a member of EfS Tas by filling out this form. Members have access to networking events, capacity building workshops and opportunities to promote sustainable events. You can also keep in contact with EfS Tas by signing up to the newsletter or following them on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Join ACTS to connect with other sustainability champions in higher education. Australasian Campuses Towards Sustainability (ACTS) is a non-profit organisation supporting and encouraging sustainability practise in campuses across the Australasia region. The organisation is based on bringing members together and enabling positive change within the community by providing resources and supporting engagement activities. Green Impact, ACTS conference, Green Gown Awards Australasia are a few of the many programs and initiatives delivered by ACTS. Members of our Sustainability Team are volunteer Board members, with Corey Peterson serving as ACTS President and Carmen Primo Perez the ACTS Treasurer. Staff or students can register as individuals under the UTAS institutional membership with ACTS, using their UTAS email to access heaps of member-only resources for free. Once you have a user account with ACTS, you also get free access to both AASHE (North America) and EAUC (UK and Ireland) resources. Follow ACTS on social media channels through Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Linkedin for sustainability campaign updates or sign up to receive the enACT bulletin Promote the globally supported Sustainability Development Goals (SDGs) in your community with SDSN. The Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) promotes the 17 SDGs among its global network of members from private and public industry sector, universities and community groups. Members of the SDSN engage in problem solving, policy writing and engagement through education for the SDGs. There are also regular grant opportunities highlighted for projects around the world. Use your UTAS email address to become a member of SDSN Global for free by submitting this registration form and identifying your specific areas of interest. You can also follow SDSN Global on Twitter, Facebook or Linkedin to stay updated on global SDG news.
Learn more about what other institutions are doing in the world of sustainability as part of AASHE. The Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) made its debut in December 2005 and launched the
Tom Remenyi (top left) Varunjani Jayaseelan (panel host – top right) Jenni Klaus (bottom left) and Pratik Vhatkar (bottom right) at the virtual Sustainability Careers Panel
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Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020
Food relief and support programs in Tasmania Thank you to the work of the Sustainability Committee Food Culture Working Group at the University led by Dr Sandra Murray and SIPS Intern Mahalia White-McColl for bringing together information about food relief and support programs in Tasmania.
In part 2 of my project I researched and reached out to community groups to find out where we can access food for free or at affordable prices. I was also lucky to join a working group with different UTAS staff across Tasmania, across the different campuses, and we worked collaboratively to put together an information sheet about where you can access food for free or support if you need it… my favourite part was in bringing people together in February, and to build a garden from the ground up, literally getting our hands in the dirt to make a difference. Mahalia White-McColl, SIPS intern Semester 1, 2020 You can find this guide with contact details and the types of donations required on the University’s Food and Gardens page. Thank you to Varu and Mahalia for the following recipe ideas for a cosy winter day (see page 5).
of students indicated they were satisfiedwith the food on-campus 33%
Creating a sustainable food culture at UTAS and were unable to purchase more on at least one occasion. Thank you to the work of the Sustainability Committee Food Culture Working Grou University led by Dr Sandra Murray and SIPS Intern Mahalia White-McColl for bring information about food relief and support programs in Tasmania.
The UTAS Sustainability Committee’s Food Culture Working Group has been established to develop a guiding vision for sustainable food culture on our campuses that address procurement, preparation, waste management,
In response to these findings UTASLife, TUU Student Food Revolution Society, the SIPS program and local community organisations are collaborating to set-up food access initiatives for students. Also, a f llow-up student
u to the work of the Sustainability Committee Food Culture W y led by Dr Sandra Murray and SIPS Intern Mahalia White-McC on about food relief and support programs in Tasmania. growing, vending, food systems education, climate change and carbon emissions and external providers. We are now busy working on a UTAS Healthy and Sustainable Food On- Campus strategy. To inform our strategy we included six new food-related questions in the recent UTAS Student Sustainability Survey (March 2020). Approximately 33% of students in icated they were satisfied, 30% neutral and 37% dissatisfied with the affordability of food on campus. From a food access perspective, we were concerned that approximately 38% of students reported that they had ran out of food survey is being developed to further explore the prevalence, predictors, consequences and possible solutions to the food insecurity challenges reported by students. If you would like to join the Food Culture Working Group please email sandra.murray@utas.edu.au. If you would like to join the TUU Student Food Revolution Society, please email lisa.liew@utas. edu.au. Author: Sandra Murray In part 2 of my project I researched and reached out to community groups to find o acc ss food for fr e or at affordable prices. I was also lucky to join a working group UTAS staff across Tasmania, across the different campuses, and we worked collabo together an inf rm tion sheet about where you can access food for free or support my favourite part was in bringing people together in Febr ary, and to build a garde up, li rall g tting our ha ds in the dirt to make a difference. Mahalia White-McC Semester 1, 2020 *Approximately of my project I researched and reached out to community grou od for free or at affordable prices. I was also lucky to join a wo f across Tasmania, across the different campuses, and we wor an information sheet about where you can access food for free rite part was in bringing people together in February, and to b ly getting our hands in the dirt to make a difference. Mahalia W 1, 2020 4 Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020 You can find this guide with contact details and the types of donations required on Food and Gardens page. Thank you to Varu and Mahalia for the following recipe ideas for a warmer winter of students reported they had ran out of food andwere unable to purchase more on at least one occasion 38% *Approximately The Community Garden at Hobart Apartments. of students are dissatisfiedwith the affordability of food on-campus 37% *Approximately
Working Group at the Coll for bringing together
ups to find out where we can orking group with different rked collaboratively to put e or support if you need it… build a garden from the ground White-McColl, SIPS intern
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Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020
Leadership in action by UTAS student Yanqi Wang Putting her creativity and social work skills to practice Yanqi has been busy growing seedlings in her apartment, creating art from recycled materials, teaching online Auslan classes for fellow students and through her role as a Residential Leader making welfare checks on her fellow students. Yanqi said: At student living I help organise events such as Game of Soles, a walking / running challenge to encourage students to get outside a little bit. I am also running Hands On For Auslan workshops, sharing my sign language skills with other student residents, both virtually and face to face. My role also involves making weekly welfare calls with student residents, checking if they are doing well physically and mentally during this challenging time. A special thank you to Yanqi and the other Residential Leaders for their inspiring work for their peers. Yanqi has been studying community development through her Masters of Social Work course and her work placement with the Sustainability Team last year.
Growing seedlings in her apartment. Photo by Yanqi Wang.
Creating art from recycled materials. Photo by Yanqi Wang.
Benefit of participating in online quizzes – socialising during COVID-19
During the peak of the COVID-19 lockdown the Sustainability Team designed, hosted and participated in a series of zoom-based quizzes. Two of these events served as a social engagement activity for past and present SIPS students and staff. Additionally, members of the Sustainability Team took part in a trivia night organised by the UTAS Landcare Society, UTAS Avian and UTAS Biological Sciences Clubs. The quizzes were loosely sustainability- related, and activities ranged from multiple- choice trivia, to matching change-the-world anthems to contestants, and even classic Sale of the Century ‘who am I?’ questions. The quizzes functioned not only as a great distraction from current events but also as a ‘get to know you’ activity between participants. Some of the questions elicited personal responses and explanations from contestants, for example: “peanut butter: crunchy or smooth?”. Other questions served as a stage for participants to demonstrate skills in certain types of thinking, for example: unjumbling sustainability-related words. The COVID-19 lockdown has dramatically changed our avenues of social and professional engagement and forced us to adapt to online alternatives. Continuation of meetings, productivity and UTAS-related events have been saved by using platforms like Microsoft Teams or Zoom and its breakout rooms. However, principles such as sense of community, social nourishment
and solidarity have been some of the hidden benefits also allowed to continue by pivoting communication to these online formats. The Sustainability Team acknowledges the intrinsic value of participating in or organising social events, either during the remainder, or following the COVID-19 period. These quizzes were a gentle reminder that we humans are truly social creatures. Moreover, although everyone has different social requirements, social engagement is a key component of good mental health. If you or someone you know are struggling during the transition out of the lockdown period then please visit: https://www.utas.edu.au/safety-and- wellbeing/health-wellbeing Trivia Quiz Night UTAS student clubs the Biological Sciences, Landcare and Avian clubs collaborated to host a very wonderful trivia quiz night! With seven rounds, featuring animal calls, photos and interesting facts, the event was a great way to end the semester. Congratulations to the students who organised the event Ellen-Rose Sorensen, Kawinwit Kittipalawattanapol (Ink), Andi Magnusson, Peter Vaughn, Evie Drinnan, Katya Bandow and Nicola Potter. As one of the questions asked, can you name all 12 species of endemic Tasmanian birds?
Sustainability staff and SIPS Interns pondering the answers at a quiz.
Creating art from recycled materials. Photo by Yanqi Wang.
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Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020
Tackling our waste to landfill across the University this July
Green Gown Awards Australasia Applications are open for the 2020 Green Gown Awards Australasia! Contact the Sustainability Team if you are interested in nominating a colleague, program or initiative at UTAS.
Get involved in our staff waste challenge for Plastic Free July! Set waste as an agenda item for your next team meeting, use our waste analysis template and identify the top actions you can take to avoid waste to landfill. Make a difference with the student Waste Diary Challenge and go into the draw to win a $50 voucher! How well do you know your waste? Test your waste education skills in our online quiz or take part with a group of friends. Register on Eventbrite for our online screening of the Story of Plastic and join the panel event and Q&A in late July. Join the waste themed Science in the Pub featuring UTAS staff on 2 July.
Resources for staff and students will be available throughout July on our Resource and Waste Management page.
An inspiring Green Impact story from Allison Ogden at the University of Melbourne What impact can a waste audit actually have? Through a waste audit challenge last year and improved separation of waste in their labs they were able to reduce the overall volume of waste by 500kg!
2020 Red Cross Oration Climate Council CEO Amanda McKenzie will present this year’s Red Cross Oration online on July 2. Amanda is one of the best known public commentators on the climate crisis in Australia. Register your attendance and for more event information vist the Facebook event page.
Composting workshops with Nick Towle Thank you to Nick Towle who kindly volunteered to run two excellent virtual workshops attended by over 30 staff, students and members of the community, providing practical advice and tips on composting at home. Thanks Nick for your ‘down to earth’ (pun intended ) approach and covering the many ways to compost. I have only just started a compost heap, worm farm and worm towers and Nick’s information inspired me to continue with confidence and actively look for available composting materials in my community. (Brett) Link: Plastic Free July https://www.plasticfreejuly.org/ waste analysis template https://www.utas.edu.au/infrastructure-services- development/sustainability/recycling-and-waste-management student Waste Diary Challengehttps://www.utas.edu.au/infrastructure-services- development/sustainability/recycling-and-waste-management Eventbrite https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/the-story-of-plastic-virtual-film-screening-tickets- 106726124712 Science in the Pub https://scipubtas.org.au/ Resource and waste management page https://www.utas.edu.au/infrastructure-services- development/sustainability/recycling-and-waste-management
Donations with heart in the NorthWest While onsite volunteer numbers were restricted at her local community garden, Davina Smith has been making hearts and heart DIY kits for families receiving food donation boxes in the North West. If you would like to help out you can find instructions at 1000hearts.
Volunteering Opportunities
This was a great workshop! I’ve had two compost bins that I’ve used to varying (increasingly better success over the past few years). Since isolation I’ve been watching a truckload of youtube videos, have just started my first hot compost pile, and brought some compost worms. I’m still lacking greens but at least it doesn’t stink anymore! (Rob)
Opportunities for volunteering in sustainability are shared through Career Connect, when you register select ‘sustainability’ to be notified of upcoming opportunities to get involved. If you are a student at UTAS head onto Career Connect, to sign up as a UTAS volunteer. UTAS alumni and community members can also find great volunteering opportunities through Volunteering Tasmania.
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Sustainability Bulletin • Issue 14 May/June 2020
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