ec

Welcome to Newcastle University’s Environmental Co-ordinator Network

The Environmental Co-ordinator Network is made up of 80+ members of University staff, who have taken on the voluntary role of Environmental Co-ordinator (EC) for their department. They act as the local point of contact for any sustainability issues and pass information between staff / students and the University’s Sustainability Team.

To find out more about our EC Network, please click on the following links;

 

Environmental Co-ordinators (ECs)

Environmental Co-ordinators (ECs) provide a source of knowledge surrounding sustainability issues within each academic and service unit, creating a key communication link between staff, students, Heads of Schools/Services and the ESS Sustainability Team.

If you would like to raise any environmental sustainability issues specifically about where you work, have any suggestions or are keen to support your EC, please get in touch with you local EC. Each academic and service unit should have an EC; to find out who represents you, see the contact list below. If your department is not included on the list of ECs, or you would like to become involved in the EC network, please email saveit@ncl.ac.uk.

View the contact list of all the University Environmental Coordinators

 

EcoTeams

In several locations, EcoTeams have been set up in order to deliver consistent sustainability messages across several departments in one building, reduce individual EC work load, and gain a wider perspective of ideas to take forward. EcoTeams help to unite ECs located in the same building, and can include other staff members and / or students, to provide a variety of input from different sources.

The concept of EcoTeams at Newcastle University is fluid – each team is owned by its members, and therefore each team is different. All teams are supported by the Sustainability Team.

As of February 2011, there are 4 EcoTeams located within Newcastle University;

  • Library Green Group, which covers all libraries across campus,
  • SML EcoTeam, which covers the School of Modern Languages (Old Library Building),  
  • King’s Gate EcoTeam, which covers all staff in King's Gate ( e.g. Careers Service, HR, Finance, Executive Office, DARO, etc),
  • IHS EcoTeam, which covers the Institute of Health and Society (mainly Baddiley Clark Building). 

By June 2011, the aim is to have an additional two EcoTeams set up. If you would like to set up / be part of an EcoTeam in your building, please contact your local EC / EcoTeam, or email saveit@ncl.ac.uk.

View the contact list of all the University EcoTeams

 

EC Strategy

In Autumn 2010, an EC Strategy was drafted by the Sustainability Team, and went through a consultation with ECs, prior to its finalisation in November 2010. The Strategy details the network’s history, vision, links to governmental policy / legislation, and targets, as well as an plan of strategy actions to be rolled out.

View the EC Strategy

 

Environmental Objectives

In July 2009, ECs submitted individual objectives identifying what they will be doing to help reduce the University’s environmental impact. These address a range of topics, such as reducing energy consumption and waste generation (directly and via purchasing more efficient/fewer goods), maximising recycling, encouraging lower carbon travel options, and generally improving environmental awareness and communication in their school or service unit.

View the Environmental Objectives

Many of these objectives have been agreed with the relevant Head of School or Service. Progress against the objectives is being tracked and used to highlight best practice amongst ECs, whilst also acknowledging the efforts and achievements made by the network. Ultimately successful completion of these objectives will contribute to the university's strategic objective of achieving environmental sustainability (see Strategic Overview - Vision 2021: A World-class Civic University).

It is intended that new environmental objectives are set by the ECs in 2011. If you would like to be part of the process, and help create objectives for your local EC, please contact them with your ideas.

 

EC Meeting Information

Environmental Co-ordinators and the ESS Sustainability Team meet each quarter, where updates are provided on the progress of sustainability initiatives within the Sustainability Team, and by ECs. Please contact your local EC if you would like them to highlight a certain issue for discussion at the next EC meeting. See below for details of previous meetings.

May 2011

February 2011

No meeting in November / Decemeber, replaced by EC Xmas Social event.

August 2010

March 2010

December 2009

September 2009

June 2009

March 2009

November 2008

August/September 2008

 

News

Thanks Clive!

Many thanks on behalf of the Sustainability Team and the EC network to Clive Gerrard, EC for ISS, for his very informative presentation during February's EC meeting. Clive updated us on the projects that ISS are working on at tackle their environmental impact. If you would like to be our next guest speaker at May's EC meeting, please email Kay Gregory, the EC Support Officer.

Looking for more EC's!

There are vacancies for ECs in the following locations;

  • CEAM in the Bedson Building,
  • Historical Studies in the Armstrong Building,
  • Marine Science and Technology in the Armstrong Building,
  • CEAM and Philosophical Studies in the Herschel Building.

Please email Kay Gregory, the EC Support Officer for more information.

 

Newcastle University Environmental awards 2010

Newcastle University wanted to recognise and award excellence in the development, management and/or implementation of environmental programs at the University. By showcasing the people/groups whose actions are having a positive effect on the environment, more staff and students will understand how taking individual and group actions can have a big impact on the University’s environmental performance.

The awards ceremony was held on 4th June 2010, to celebrate World Environment Day. Entrants were judged by the Environment and Sustainability committee chaired by Pro Vice Chancellor Tony Stevenson. The winners were;

Rob Dixon - Winner of the award for Outstanding individual contribution to the environment (staff)

  • Outstanding individual contribution to the environment (Staff);
    Winner - Rob Dixon, EC for Chemical Engineering and Advanced Materials, Mertz Court,
    Highly Commended – Maggie Tallerman, EC for English Literature, Language, and Linguistics, Percy Building, and Susan McAllister, EC for MSED, Medical School. Maggie Tallerman, Highly Commended for the award for Outstanding individual contribution to the environment (staff)
  • Outstanding individual contribution to the environment (Student) winner was Gemma Bone, MA in International Politics in the School of Geography, Politics and Sociology.
  • Outstanding environmental performance (Group/School/Department);
    Winner - Library Green Group (Eco Team),
    Highly Commended – NewRail, and SCAN.
  • Best recycling performance – Drummond Library Green Group, Winners of the award for Outstanding environmental performance for a group / school / departmentBuilding.
  • Best performance from a cleaning team – Agriculture Building.

We will be opening nominations for the 2011 awards in February 2011 – please check this webpage for further details nearer the time.

Congratulations to the award winners and many thanks to all those involved.

Hope to see you next year for Newcastle University’s Environmental Awards 2011!