Category: Be the Change

Be the Change is a University-wide campaign that encourages everyone at the University to make choices that have a positive impact on the world around us. Throughout March the campaign focused on travel, and how we should all look to take active travel (e.g. walking or cycling) where at all possible. One group of students that joined in with the campaign was the SU’s A Capella Society.

Read on to find out more about their efforts, as written by Izzy Fraser, Vice President of A Cappella Society.

“A Cappella Society has many goals for the 2023-2024 year, one of which being to champion sustainability and eco-consciousness in a way we had never done before. As Vice President of the society, I made it my mission for this goal to become a reality, and with the help of every member our wonderful committee (namely Jess Edwards, our Outreach Officer, Alisha Agarwal, our Marketing Manager and, not least, Aaliyah Butt our President) we managed to coordinate a whole Sustainability Month.

Support from the University and SU

The SU’s Sustainability Coordinator, Lucy Tallis, guided and advised us, directing us towards multiple means of funding to help us actualise the initiatives we had planned. For example, the SU’s Sustainability Grant provided full funding for a sustainable merch scheme, and the Sustainability Team sponsored us with a prize for our ‘Walk 2 Rehearsal’ scheme as it aligned with the Be the Change campaign.

Our application for the Be the Change prize fund included a poll that we distributed to members asking how frequently they take different modes of transport to rehearsals. The investigation revealed that 40% of members who responded had, at least once in the last month, driven/taken an Uber/got a lift in a car to get to rehearsal. As such, we believed that our ‘Walk 2 Rehearsal’ scheme would shift help change behaviour, not just for the week, but for our members going forward.

Running the competition

The scheme ran via the University’s Bristol Moves+ platform for one week and was really popular, with eight groups competing against each other in to see who could achieve the most steps per member across the week. Group representatives made a sub-group on Moves+ for their members to join. We achieved strong engagement within these groups; for example, 11 of 14 members of Academy joined their group, and 10 of Pitch Fight’s 14 members took part in theirs.

There was much conversation within the society on what number of steps each group was on, with members organising group walks to and from rehearsal. There was a healthy competition established by members’ motivation to win such a great prize at the end of the week!

What the society thought

In reflection, Lydia O’Boyle, Group Representative for The Bristones said that the group “have thoroughly enjoyed participating in Walk 2 Rehearsal this week”. She outlined how they have accumulated an impressive 683,648 steps between them. “This challenge has been lots of fun, not only motivating us to walk to our rehearsals together but also encouraging us to spend more time walking around the city.”

The outcome

The Bristol Suspensions smashed the scheme with their average member step count for the week being 73,741, therefore 10,534 steps per member per day. As a result, the group won the Love Bristol voucher and plan to have a big group meal out at an independent restaurant after Easter.

The Suspensions Group Rep, Tiggy Cottle, said “The Susps got absolutely stuck into Walk 2 Rehearsal, determined to win the Love Bristol voucher and all go out for a social together! The whole group really enjoyed walking to rehearsal and competing with other groups for the prize; we ended up with a whopping 811,154 steps! Well done everyone.”

More importantly, the Walk 2 Rehearsal scheme has had the wider impact of improving our members habits in terms of using sustainable methods of transport. After the initiative finished and the results were out, I conducted a poll on our members WhatsApp group that revealed the success of the scheme through a significant shift in members’ practices – 86% of members who responded stated that across the week, the only method of transport they took to rehearsals was walking. Twenty-four percent said that they walked and used public transport. And what I think is most impressive is that none of our members took a car to rehearsal across the entire week!

Evidently, the Walk 2 Rehearsal scheme was a huge success, in terms of member engagement, enjoyment, and working towards our groups wider goal of championing sustainability. A Cappella Society want to say a massive thank you to Be the Change for sponsoring the initiative, and we would implore other societies to make the most of resources that can be offered by the SU to fund sustainability schemes. It is our responsibility to create sustainable practices in the present to work towards the green future that we want. You, and your society, can Be the Change too!”

We all want to enjoy some guaranteed sun, explore new places and experience other cultures. And the good news is, it is possible and even more rewarding to travel abroad in a low impact way. Read on to hear from members of our university community who have done just that!

A year abroad by land, Haydn Davies, Economics student and Sustainability Champion for the School of Economics

“I gave up flying in the summer of 2022 and managed to do my year abroad after that without flying. Considering that 5 billion of the world’s population will never step on plane, sacrificing being able to fly purely for leisure is a sacrifice I’m very willing to make. The happiness that you derive from leisure time is largely based off who you are with. Personally, I can have equally a good time in the Mendips with close friends as in Thailand!

Being fascinated by other cultures and history, the obstacle of land travel doesn’t impact my desire to get there. Sure it takes much longer, but that gives you much more time to experience and appreciate the local cultures on the way.”

A family rail adventure to Italy, James Ryle, Transport Sustainability Manager

“Our family trip to Italy, originally planned for summer 2020, finally came to fruition three years later. With two older teenage boys, we opted for a rail adventure in northern Italy, a region offering a diverse range of attractions, including seaside, lakes, mountain scenery, historic cities, and, of course, pizza and ice cream!

The challenge was to make the journey flight-free without being constantly on the move. The Man In Seat 61 website and the trainline app were invaluable for trip planning, allowing us to book and organize all train tickets easily.

In the end, after breakfast at St Pancras, Eurostar and the high-speed service from Paris to Milan made quick work of the outward journey, leaving time for the all-important first pizza of the holiday.

As we found, travelling around this part of Italy by train could hardly be easier, with a choice of fast inter-city and stopping regional services reaching everywhere on our wish list.

After a few days in Genoa, including a day trip to the famous Cinque Terre coastal villages, we headed for Bologna, a beautiful university town, if a bit of a baking oven at the height of summer.

From there we began a slow journey home via Lake Como and the scenic Bernina Express railway over the Alps towards Zurich, completing the final leg to Bristol via Paris and London in a day.

Top tip? It’s perfectly possible to have an amazing holiday across Europe by train but remember the journey is a big part of the experience!”

Visiting family in Germany, Lucy Westover, Specialist Technician, Bristol Medical School

“My first long-haul train journey was to visit my family who live in Lübeck, northern Germany. There are several routes you can take to get to Germany going through either Amsterdam or Brussels, both of which you can get the Eurostar to. You can then get to Germany without too many train changes so the trains were relatively straight forward to figure out and book and the journey takes around 14 hours.

We really enjoyed the journey and it meant we saw so many German towns that we otherwise would have never been to; it made the whole thing feel like much more of an adventure! I am not planning on flying in the future to any destination I can get to via train. This year I am planning on a couple more train trips: back to Germany to see family, France with friends and I’m also planning an interrailing trip around Europe!”

This month, our ‘Be the Change’ campaign theme is ‘action’. We’re encouraging staff and students to challenge themselves to make a positive contribution by volunteering, recycling, growing plants, composting and raising awareness. All action, however big or small, can change the future of the world we live in. Read on to hear from Faith, a Sustainability Team intern and master’s student, as she tells us about her journey into activism. 

“Reading about the findings of an IPCC report in 2018 I remember feeling a real sense of shock and urgency to take action. At a similar time, groups like Extinction Rebellion, Youth Strike 4 Climate and Fridays for Future were making a name for themselves. I soon got involved with Extinction Rebellion Youth, Brighton. It was great to be around people who also cared so deeply about these issues, and I met some of my closest friends and my partner through being involved. When the pandemic hit, I realised how exhausted I was from it all and took a step back. 

Since moving to Bristol three years ago, I’ve slowly started to find my place in the climate movement again and have been figuring out how I can make a difference. There are many lifestyle changes that I have made, such as: 

• Eating a mostly plant-based diet 
• Buying seasonal and organic vegetables 
• Growing what I can in my allotment 
• Taking trains and buses instead of flying 
• Using my social media account to raise awareness 
• Getting comfortable talking with friends and family about climate change 
• Cycling or using public transport instead of driving 
• Buying almost all of my clothes second-hand 

I’ve also got involved with Green New Deal Rising, a youth movement campaigning for climate justice.

Being part of Green New Deal Rising has given me a real sense of hope and the ability to connect with other like-minded people in Bristol. I love that Green New Deal Rising takes a stance that social issues and environmental issues are deeply intertwined – recognising this is essential to find effective solutions which ensure that no one is left behind. As well as calling for better environmental policies, we are campaigning for policies which ensure decent housing and secure jobs, with a key focus on uplifting the most vulnerable in society. 

Being part of Green New Deal Rising has been a great way to learn more about issues that I’m passionate about and has given me some much-needed motivation to continue campaigning for climate justice. I truly believe that no one is too small to make a difference, and when we come together in movements and communities, we can have a truly transformational impact.” 

It’s Veganuary, and, by no coincidence, this month the ‘Be the Change’ campaign encourages us to ‘eat a largely plant-based diet, with healthy portions and no waste’ in an effort to reduce the carbon impact of our meals. Read on to find out about some of the plant-based swops, substitutions and specials the Sustainability Team is enjoying.

Sara, Climate Action Officer Intern: “I am challenging myself to a low carbon diet by trying Veganuary this month. This is a winter quinoa salad I made with quinoa, roasted vegetables (roman broccoli, carrots, onions, brussel sprouts), seeds and beetroot dressing. Quinoa is a great versatile food to use in lots of dishes.”

Alice, Environmental Supervisor for Circular Economy: “I’ve discovered this smoked tofu is incredible in a stir fry – I add turmeric, peanut butter, soy sauce and a bit of honey for a satay vibe!”

James D,  Sustainability Manager for Utilities and Carbon: “My favourite low carbon meal is a “beef” and ale pie made with Quorn and mushrooms and vegan puff pastry but adding beef stock to keep the authentic taste!”

Faith, Communications and Events Intern: “I use a ‘Lucky Iron Fish’ when cooking to make sure I’m getting enough iron. I put the iron fish in a meal for 10 minutes whilst it’s cooking to infuses the dish with a lot more iron in an easy-to-digest form. I got mine online and I love it!”

James R, Sustainability Manager for Transport: “Hardly a new discovery and not much of a challenge because it’s so tasty but I love oat milk in my morning flat white.”

Hannah, Sustainability Communications Projects Officer: “This looks really sad but I’m still working my way through the stacks of vegan cheese I bought for Christmas. I genuinely can’t tell the Cathedral City Vegan Cheese on Ritz crackers! I also love Violife’s Greek White as a replacement feta – it’s better, IMO!”

Tristan, Green Labs Analysis Officer Intern: “South Asian cuisine is a delicious, low carbon staple for me. Take for example, Rajasthani cuisine and the Jain diet. Did you know the Jain diet excludes all animal products, but also avoids root-vegetables pulled from the ground in an effort to minimise harm to living plants? It’s fascinating to see food overlap with spirituality and ethical values, and something we should strive more towards in the UK!”

This month, our ‘Be the Change’ campaign theme is ‘action’. We’re encouraging staff and students to challenge themselves to make a positive contribution by volunteering, recycling, growing plants, composting and raising awareness. All action, however big or small, can change the future of the world we live in.  

We caught up with Sarah Rogers, Project Coordinator within the University’s Public Engagement team, to find out about her inspiring journey to setup a community garden in her local community.  

 “My friend Becca and I met at a playgroup, and we kept discussing how there very little free provision of activities in the local area to take our children to. We decided to attend a large local event and asked people what they wanted and where – so we knew a community garden with regular activities for children and old people would be popular. Then we supported each other to take it forwards,” Sarah explained.  

“We started Hillfields Community Garden right in the middle of the pandemic. The focus is improving local nature, connecting people to reduce isolation and supporting people in poverty with free healthy meals. We had some funding from a local organisation that gave us an unconditional grant, which covered raised beds, plants and tools. We set about flyering and put up posters, and attracted other likeminded people. For a long time all we had to organise ourselves was a WhatsApp group!” 

The area of Hillfields, Fishponds, was built around 1920 and was one of first council estates in the UK and the world designed as part of the ‘Homes for Heroes’ initiatives.  

“The whole ethos was around ‘dig for victory’, so every home was designed with a substantial garden so everyone had an allotment,” Sarah described. “Over the course of a century, I think people have forgotten how to grow – we’ve got Monty Don and RHS that replaced the ‘everyday’ style gardening. I reject this  –  I’m an everyday, indiscriminate gardener – all plants get same attention and I see what happens! The thing I like most about gardening is it starts afresh every year, you can learn and try again.”  

In 2021 we held 22 events and groups which were attended by 580 people, last year we expanded to three community events per year, four regular monthly groups, and 25 volunteers, 27 activities which were attended by 1,200 people! We are also now an Award Winning Garden and have been featured in local radio, by Bristol City Council and in a national magazine.  

Sarah enjoys bridging her work at the University with her work in the community, and believes they compliment each other well.  

“Last year I did the Female Leadership Initiative (FLi) with UoB Staff Development and it was one of the best things I’ve done in terms of supporting me within my leadership at work and outside work. The initiative has also benefited from working with the University in other ways, for example last year we linked up with Engaged Learning and three Business students [Emeli, Holly and Maria] who created a Business Plan . They recommended we become a charitable incorporated organisation, which we are now applying for. 

I’d encourage staff to use their volunteering day to work with grassroots projects like ours, not only “getting out there” but using their work-based skills to support local initiatives.”  

There are plenty of ways to find suitable volunteering opportunities. On Wednesday 8 February the SU is hosting a volunteering fair. You could also browse VOSCUR for opportunities. You should then have a conversation with your manager to agree a date.  

“Consider your volunteer day a trial to see if you like something and could continue to volunteer longer term. My top tip would be to look locally – what’s on your doorstep? Where you can invest time a few streets away? Passion but no skill is also ok, you’ll learn on the job.” 

For those looking to start something new, Sarah advises finding like-minded people to work with you and looking into the support available for startups through VOSCUR Voscur | Supporting Voluntary Action.  

“Go and find your tribe – no one can do everything by themselves. It might mean putting an ad in a local shop or speaking to people at the school gate. It’s also important to set boundaries and agree the timescales you’ll work on something for as there is so much need. Look after yourself too, don’t burnout!”  

We wrapped up our conversation by discussing how rewarding working voluntarily can be both mentally and physically.  

“The biggest thing for me is the example I’m setting for my daughter, and how she see’s the work I’m doing,” Sarah ended.  

You can find out more about Sarah and her community work on her People Power Bristol video. This video  will be shown with other multimedia stories about social action at an event at Bristol City Hall on Saturday 25 March 2023. 

Be the Change is the University’s new campaign to empower staff and students to make more sustainable choices. Be the Change features six challenges relating to food, fashion, travel, electronics, energy & water, and action. Each month highlights a theme and offers events and activities to engage people in related challenges.  

This month, we are asking you to challenge yourself to cut your energy and water consumption, save money and help the planet. Small changes like switching gadgets off at the socket, enjoying 4-minute showers and turning off taps when brushing your teeth can make a big difference.

What are some of the things we can do? 

Take shorter showers. The average time spent in the shower is around 7 minutes. By reducing your time in the shower, you use less energy, helping you to reduce your impact on the environment and saving you money. Take 4-minute showers using a shower timer – get your hands on one at any of the events this month! Each minute less could save you 10 litres of water. 

Use a washing up bowl. By turning off the taps and using a bowl to wash your dishes, you can save up to 9 litres of water a minute! 

Switch off standby. Preserve energy and save up to £65 per year by avoiding standby mode and switching your gadgets off at the socket. 

Use only what you need. Kettles are one of the most used appliances in the kitchen. Avoid overfilling the kettle and save water, energy and around £13 a year on your electricity bill.  

Wash clothes on as low temperature as possible. Washing clothes at 30 degrees rather than higher temperatures will save around 40% of the energy used each year.

Upcoming events

The University is hosting various events and activities relating to each Be the Change challenge and the University’s Sustainability Strategy. This month’s events include: 

• How Bad Are Bananas? – Wed 9 November, Wed 23 November – ALL DAY, Senate House
  Learn more about the carbon footprint of groceries and everyday items at this pop-up game. We’ll also be giving away vegan, Fairtrade chocolates to every player. No need to sign-up – come along and get involved! 
• Watt’s Next? – The Journey to Net Zero Energy – Tues 15 November, 4-5pm, Wills Memorial Building: Old Council Chamber
  A talk covering the reduction of carbon across the University of Bristol with Chris Jones (Sustainability Manager – Energy) and Dr John Brenton (Sustainability Manager – Analysis). For more information and to register for free tickets, visit Eventbrite. 
• Be the Change X Hedgehog Friendly Campus Litter Pick – Wed 30 Nov, 1.30pm, starting at Senate House
  In collaboration with the University of Bristol Estates Team and Hedgehog Friendly Campus, the Sustainability team are hosting our first litter pick of the academic year. Attendees will be provided with litter picking gear and safety equipment. For more information and to register, visit Eventbrite. 
• Every Drip Every Drop: Preserving Water for Generations to Come – Tues 29 November, 4-5pm, Online
  Bristol Water will discuss the strategy for reducing water wastage across the city and share tips on how you can save water (and money!) at home. For more information and to register visit Eventbrite. 

To find out more and set yourself a challenge visit Be the Change University webpage. You can also join the Be the Change community group on Yammer. 

References: 

https://energysavingtrust.org.uk/hub/quick-tips-to-save-energy/ 

https://www.wessexwater.co.uk/help-and-advice/your-water/save-water/in-the-home