Sound Environmental Impact Award
Last year, 2008/09, Queen Mary Students’ Union won the silver standard award in the annual NUS Sound Impact Awards. The awards are an environmental accreditation scheme designed specifically for students’ unions. We greatly improved on the previous years bronze award, which highlighted the union’s commitment and consistence towards environmental good practice. We organised a recycling point in the union for mobile phones and printer cartridges, encouraged students to volunteer on the canal clean up, and kept students informed on environmental campaigns and news. This year we aim to work in closer connection with the college, including a cross campus ‘Switch it Off’ campaign and steps towards gaining a Fair Trade status. If you would like any further information or would like to get involved with any of our schemes email the union’s environmental officer on ExecEnvironmental@qmsu.org.
Recycle through the Credit Crunch
With the credit crunch going from strength to strength you can stretch your monthly budget simply by reusing and recycling many items you would normally just throw away. Here's some tips for saving money by recycling and reusing common household products.
Check out the Cash for Cans scheme, where you can get money back for recycling your old used cans.
Sell your old mobile phone to be recycled at envirofone, in some instances you can also sell your mobile back to your phone provider or use it to upgrade your phone saving you the upgrade fee. Alternatively recycle it in the Students’ Union Blomeley Centre.
You can have your ink cartridges refilled at many companies these days, such as Cartridge World, which works out cheaper than purchasing ink. Alternatively you can sell your empty cartridges to Cash for Cartridges. or you can recycle it in the Students’ Union Blomeley Centre.
Buy concentrated products, this reduces the packaging and also works out slightly cheaper. Save money when going shopping by taking your own reusable bag with you instead of purchasing a plastic bag that you will later need to dispose of.
You can purchase long life bags in our students’ union shops, alternatively these can be purchased from; Onya BagsCrazy BagsEco, Carrier Bag and many more places!
Ride a bike or walk for short journeys that you would usually use your car or bus for, this saves the petrol money, helps the environment and reduces your carbon footprint.
To work out your carbon foot print click here Put a smile on someone else's face by selling and recycling your old cd's at Music Magpie, or sell your books via Green Metropolis. You can also donate your books into the union for our Read Book Project.
Throw a clothes swapping party with your friends, a great social occasion where you can exchange clothes at no cost, creating yourself a whole new funky wardrobe - ingenious!
Reuse teabags more than once then put them on your compost heap, this saves money, creates no waste and helps your garden grow.
Take your clothes to Oxfam, ensuring you have at least 1 M&S item and you will receive a £5 voucher for M&S if you spend over £35.
Bank online with online statements. Not only does it make filing easier for you by cutting clutter but it has added security as fraudsters like paper statements.
There are many organisations where you can donate used stamps to including; Oxfam, Help the Aged and Guide Dogs for the Blind. We collect them at the Union so bring them down.