Sidney’s Green Team secures silver impact award in first year

The Green Impact scheme supports departments and Colleges from across the University to reduce their impact on the environment. Teams work through an online toolkit, with the points earned for different activities contributing to Bronze, Silver, Gold or Platinum awards. Each team appoints a Sustainability Champion, with Champions from across the University of Cambridge coming together regularly to share their experiences. 

Bethany Jobsz, a member of the College’s Accommodation team and Sidney’s Sustainability Champion, said: “We are delighted to have achieved a Silver Green Impact Award in our first year. Sidney launched its College Green Team in September 2022, and interest has been building ever since.

Everybody’s had such great ideas - from our very first meeting, it’s been, ‘What about this? How about that?’  

Bethany Jobsz, Sustainability Champion

“As a College, we were already doing many of the things referred to in the toolkit, but we weren't talking enough about this work. Our students want to know we are doing what we can, and hearing about these initiatives encourages them to take part.” 

In Easter Term, JCR Environment Officer Katya Bungay-Hill launched a food waste trial: “When I first arrived at Sidney, I was surprised that there were no food waste bins. I wanted to create a college-wide system to prevent Sidney’s food waste going to landfill, and to instead ensure it is recycled. 

“Bethany and I met with the relevant members of staff to design a month-long trial. After collecting feedback from staff and students, we met to determine whether the trial had been a success, and to formulate the process for rolling out a food waste system across the College. 

“This project has been about taking practical steps to reduce landfill, but also about symbolism: new students and visitors will see that recycling food is our norm. We want to show that Sidney cares and that our community is committed to positive change.”

Katya Bungay-Hill, JCR Environment Officer

Looking ahead to the new academic year, the team is keen to focus on travel. 

Bethany Jobsz: “Cambridge is a real ‘bike city’. We want to work out ways to further encourage bike use at a College level.  
 
“We've already got a battery recycling box in the Post Room, but we want to raise awareness of how to recycle other things: if you take medication, Superdrug will recycle your blister packs; if you have spare plastic bags, Sainsbury’s will recycle those. A lot of this is about information.” 

In Michaelmas Term, Sidney provided free, reusable lunch boxes to every College member, to help reduce plastic waste, and this summer the College’s Maintenance team has installed energy efficient shower heads across all College accommodation. 

Sidney’s Grounds team already grow all the plants used within the College from seed, avoiding the need for transportation.  

“It's about the little things that we can do to make a big difference: taking an extra 30 seconds to shut down your computer properly; switching off lights; making sure that the fan's turned off by the plug; asking, ‘Do I really need to print this out?’ 

Bethany Jobsz

“It’s often about breaking old habits - and that takes time - but these things make a real difference: doing them is empowering.”