Submitted by Peter Lumb on Fri, 2019-09-27 10:38
September was a busy month for sustainability news from around the University of Cambridge. They say that a picture paints a thousand words, so in a new feature we're showcasing a handful of our favourite images from around the University, each one giving an insight into the transformation of the University to a place of 'outstanding sustainability performance'!
The future is here? Robots cleaning our solar panels!
There are a number of solar PV panel installations around the University. To make sure they operate efficiently they need a clear view of the sun, and as the 'before' picture below shows, the panels on a shed at the University Farm were too covered in grime to be reaching peak performance. For a quicker and safer approach than getting a human up on the roof to clean them, colleagues in Estate Management enlisted the help of a robot! Check out the picture above for a shot of the robot in action, and it's clear from the 'after’ picture below just what a difference it made!
Tiny vehicle works 'EV'ery time!
The Environment and Energy Section attend lots of events around the University to inform staff and students about getting involved in the University's sustainability efforts. With lots of materials to carry, a bike or bus isn't always feasible, and with parking often limited in Cambridge's cramped streets a pool car is often not much use either. Fortunately the one-seater electric car in the Estate Management vehicle fleet proved to be the perfect solution; big enough to hold our pull-up banners, small enough to squeeze into this little space while we unloaded our equipment, and zero tailpipe emissions too – a winner all round!
Litter-ally perfect weather
To mark ‘World Cleanup Day’, the UIS Green Impact team organised two successful litter picks. The attendees had glorious weather which helped spur them on to collect lots of litter from across the West Cambridge site! Thanks to Cambridge City Council’s Streets and Open Spaces team who were on hand to provide the training and equipment.
New neighbours on Madingley Rise
Last year at Greenwich House, as part of a biodiversity pilot, a number of bat boxes were installed. Last week the boxes were inspected for signs of habitation. We were delighted to hear that one of the boxes pictured here had a pipistrelle bat living inside!
Striking a pose
Friday 20th September was the 'Global Climate Strike'. Many University staff and students took part in events around the city to raise awareness of and call for action on the climate crisis. Our favourite image comes from Cambridge University Press and Cambridge Assessment, where 137 colleagues came together to spell out the words 'Act Now'.
BBC stop in for lunch
The University Catering Service were all over the news in early September, following the release of the University’s ‘Sustainable Food Journey’, which showed a 33% reduction in carbon emissions from catering. Here's a behind the scenes look at head of the UCS Nick and chef Rob being filmed by BBC Look East on the day of the report's release!
It's clearly an exciting time to be getting involved with sustainability at the University of Cambridge. Staff can attend our Green Impact launch event on 22 October to find out more about how you can contribute, and students can attend one of our training sessions to get involved.