12 Days of Sustainability 

From 1–12 December, visit this page daily for new tips and inspiration on how to celebrate more sustainably. From gift ideas to energy-saving hacks, our 12 Days of Sustainability infographic will help you make small changes with a big impact. 

12 Days of Sustainability

Visit back daily for more Sustainability tips

Deck the Halls: Greener Christmas decor at Imperial

We’re excited to bring festive cheer across our campuses and halls with a range of Christmas tree displays as Imperial gets into the seasonal spirit.

This year, we’re blending tradition with creativity. While many of our trees will still be real – including the firs at 170 Queen’s Gate and Weeks Hall, which will be replanted after the holidays in the Secret Garden – we’re also introducing imaginative new designs.

Visit the Abdus Salam Library Café to see a tree made entirely of books, or explore the Queen’s Tower Rooms to admire a tree crafted from sustainable packaging. In Dalby Court, existing bay and box trees outside the Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Bessemer and Faculty buildings will sparkle with added illuminations.

Of course, the centrepiece of our festive displays is the grand tree in the South Kensington main entrance foyer, a must-see.

In total, we have swapped out 15 real trees for these inventive alternatives that still bring joy to our community. Find out more about other sustainability initiatives across our Sustainable Imperial webpages, including our year-round biodiversity activities.

Don’t leave your lab or office lit up like a Christmas tree over the holiday period

Here are some handy tips on how to cut down on unnecessary energy consumption in offices and labs over the winter break. 

Laboratories

Did you know a single fume hood can use as much energy as 3.5 households every day? So, this Christmas break, lower the sash (energy savings upwards of 40%), tidy your hood and switch off the lights. 

Also, avoid standby mode on PCs, monitors, and lab equipment, and turn off when not in use (WARNING: make sure you do not switch off someone else’s long-term data collection or run!)  

Offices 

Before you head off, make sure you: 

  • Turn off your computer, monitors and printer.
  • Unplug any adapters.
  • Switch off the lights!
  • You can also visit ICT's sustainability web page if you have any electrical equipment you no longer use.