Go Green

As our reliance on digital technologies grows, so does the environmental impact of data centres, devices, and online activity. In this insightful session, David Crews explores the hidden carbon footprint of our digital lives and the challenges institutions like The Open University face on the journey to Net Zero.

As part of Second-hand September, the OU’s Ismay Mummery explores how choosing pre-loved clothing can reduce waste, cut carbon, and celebrate personal style. In this video, Ismay shares practical tips on embracing sustainable fashion, from re-wearing and re-purposing your favourite pieces to making mindful choices that support a circular economy.

The Open Living Lab is a pioneering initiative from The Open University that brings nature recovery into the heart of education. Through this innovative project, OU academics, students, and the public collaborate to collect and explore environmental data, helping us better understand ecosystems, biodiversity, and the human-nature connection.

In this bitesize Go Green workshop, Helen Chambers from Giki joined us to demystify the carbon calculator and show how small, achievable changes can make a big impact. Through an engaging and practical session, Helen explained how the tool works, how it helps individuals understand their personal carbon footprint, and how to set realistic goals to reduce it.

In this insightful video, Fran Baker explores one of the most significant impacts of the Environmental Act 2021 on our urban environments: the legal requirement for biodiversity net gain. This policy marks a major shift in how developments must contribute positively to nature, ensuring that any loss of biodiversity is not only compensated but improved upon.

The Festive Season is a magical time of the year. The lights and decorations, the food, and of course spending time with friends and family. But while we all enjoy the festivities that season brings, the environment is not. The increased energy usage, waste, and consumption during can create a significant carbon footprint.

There are things we can all do to reduce our impact on the planet during the festivities. Here are few tips and hints to think about:

Season’s Greetings

Responsible Futures is a whole institution accreditation programme with the aim to embed sustainability across all aspects of student learning. Responsible Futures has been created by the charity Students Organising for Sustainability (SOS-UK), this is a unique accreditation being student led and audited by students.

Go Green recently ran a workshop for students and staff about Responsible Futures at the OU which you can watch below.

Learning about the climate and ecological crisis can be very disturbing and overwhelming. We may feel a variety of different emotions often grouped under the umbrella label of eco-anxiety. But what is eco-anxiety and how can we learn to live meaningfully with the reality of the crisis without falling apart?

Sustainable Fashion: Fashion Fixing and Mending - Getting started with  Ismay Mummery. OU Research Student, Ismay, shares her findings from her garment mending research study and will offer ways to get more out of your wardrobe and get inspired to alter and fix garments rather than getting rid of them.

So, what’s the problem with plastic? Have you ever wondered how it gets into the ocean? Where it goes? What it does? And most importantly, what you can do? Lucy Deans answers all of these questions and more with an aim to increase our plastic pollution literacy while building on tips to reduce your own plastic consumption. Watch the video here: