a green background with plants surrounded the words Sustainbility working towards a greener Guild

Green Impact

At your Guild, we measure our success not just by what we achieve, but by the impact we have on the environment , something we call our ‘Green Impact’.

This is part of a programme led by the National Union of Students (NUS), which helps us benchmark our progress against other students’ unions while continually improving our understanding of environmental issues and how we can drive meaningful change.

Read on to discover how we’re making a difference.

What We’ve Done

Over the years, the Guild has introduced a range of initiatives to become more sustainable and environmentally responsible, including:

  • Installing solar panels on Tennis Courts accommodation.
  • Improving energy efficiency across the Guild through loft insulation, sealing external windows, and upgrading to energy-efficient LED lighting
  • Monitoring our electricity and gas usage on an ongoing basis
  • Reducing single-use plastics across all our venues
  • Cutting energy consumption by 14.9% in the past year by upgrading lighting systems, powering down PCs daily, and providing students and staff with free LED bulbs and smart plugs
  • Passing a motion to boycott fossil fuel recruiters – read Redbrick’s article all about it.
  • Working in partnership with the University to achieve Fairtrade Accreditation
  • Ensuring sustainability is a priority when selecting partners
  • Hosting our annual Green Week to raise awareness and promote more sustainable lifestyles
  • Approving our Sustainability Strategy, which will guide our ambitions through to 2030. We are working closely with the University to ensure both organisations put students at the heart of delivering this positive change

Sustainability At Your Guild

Increased our energy efficiency
Increased our energy efficiency

Loft installation, reducing light fixtures and upgrading to LED daylight saving

Reduced energy consumption by 18.9%
Reduced energy consumption by 18.9%

Up from 12%. We've saved 5% each year on our electrical consumption since 2013

Saved over 7000 Kilos of CO2 emissions
Saved over 14.7KG of CO2 emissions

Up from 4.1K on last year. The equivalent of planting 41 trees or heating 12 homes

Reached our targed of ZERO landfill
Over 68% of general waste recycled

Reduced single plastic usage
Reduced single plastic usage

Recycled over 26,000 Kilos of waste since April 22
Recycled over 47KG of reusable plastics since 2022

Free LED bubles available for staff and students
Free LED bubles available for staff and students

Sustainability Survey Results

This year we were very pleased to have seen our highest response rate when sharing the Students Organising for Sustainability Survey. This was a fantastic opportunity to work closely with the NUS and provided some key insights.

We’ll be using these findings, paired with the primary research we’ve conducted within the Guild to shape our ongoing approaches to sustainability.

Get Involved

There are lots of ways that we can work together to build a more sustainable, environmentally friendly future. Explore the below options to find out more.

a student holding a bin bag whilst picking up rubbish in the street

Start a Campaign

Campaigning is a fantastic way to raise awareness of issues and create change. The Guild has a strong history of environmental campaigning and we’d love you to get involved in keeping the movement going.

To learn about our current campaigns or find out how to start your own environmental campaign contact our Student Voice Team.

a photo of a students underneath a sign that says Vegetarian and Vegan Society

Join a Group

The Guild has a number of student groups which focus on the environment and issues relating to sustainability. Explore each group and find out how to get involved:

Conservation Volunteers
Veg Soc
Intervol (Ecuador project)

a photo of the selly express logo

Selly Express

The Selly Express is the Guild’s free shuttle bus service offering safe travel between campus and Selly Oak.

The bus runs from Monday – Friday during term-time and provides a convenient form of transportation for students who are on campus during the evening, offering a sustainable alternative to taxis.

a photo of the junkbusters logo

Junkbusters

Junkbusters is a joint project between your Guild and the University. Every year, we hit the streets of Selly to collect your unwanted items and donate these to the British Heart Foundation; making a massive difference to people’s lives.

Junkbusters operates in May and June, where we’ll organise collections in various parts of the local area.

a photo of the community pantry logo

Community Pantry

We appreciate that everyone may be feeling the pinch with the current cost of living crisis, so we’ve set up the Community Pantry to support those in crisis by providing a free one-off food parcel to those who need to access this service.

We rely on voluntary contributions to fund the Community Pantry. If you would like to donate food you can do so using the wire baskets located around campus.

a photo of 2 students talking with one student looking at their phone

Submit an Idea or Join a Committee

As a part of our Democratic Structure there are plenty of opportunities to get involved in matters of sustainability. If there’s something you’d particularly like us to focus on or prioritise, be sure to let us know by submitting it as an idea.

Separate to this, each year during our regular Elections we advertise the opportunity for students to join the Guild’s Ethical and Environmental Committee to contribute to the Guild’s work around sustainability.

Social Media

Follow us on social media where you can stay up to date with eco-friendly events, cost-of-living support and year-round sustainability initiatives taking place at the Guild.

Instagram Posts

Instagram Reels

TikTok Video

@bhamguildofstudents Did you know that you can request a one-off food parcel for free if you find yourself struggling financially during the cost of living crisis? 💙 Learn more about the Community Pantry by going to guildofstudents.com #communitypantry #costofliving #studentsupport #guildofstudents #birminghamuk #universityofbirmingham #studentlife #uob #unilife #freefooduk #costoflivingcrisis ♬ original sound - Guild of Students
@bhamguildofstudents Community Breakfast is back this semester each Wednesday from 9am-11am in Mermaid Bar at the Guild 🥐 Perfect for the exam season and upcoming lectures! #guildofstudents #communitybreakfast #birminghamuk #universityofbirmingham #uobstudent #studytok #uniroutine #examseason #freebreakfast #studentlife #university #uob ♬ original sound - Guild of Students

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