Green Week gets going

Green Week is underway, with a range of events aimed at inspiring and informing the College community about green issues.

Monday 23 November 2009
By John-Paul Jones

As Green Week kicks off again today students and staff prepare for a series of events, including a meat-free Monday, talks, films on current environmental issues, clothes-recycling workshops and practical gardening sessions.

Green Week is organised by Imperial College Union to highlight both environmental issues and the proactive steps students and staff at Imperial can take to make a difference.

“This week’s about getting everyone across College excited and inspired to think more about Green issues and what steps they can take to reduce their impact on the environment,” said Hannah Theodorou, a Medical student and one of the main organisers. "The level of support and interest for this week grows every year and we're hoping this one will be no exception!”

She added “We're already seeing the effects of Climate Change and it's easy to feel a bit hopeless. However, the collective efforts of a 20,000-strong College community can have a huge impact. We'll be signing people up to the national 10:10 campaign, and holding a number of talks and workshops to show you that being kinder to the environment can be fun too! ”

Today’s launch sees the Senior Common Room and the Queen’s Tower Rooms go meat-free, to raise awareness of the fact that livestock production is responsible for a significant amount of greenhouse gas emissions.

Midday Wednesday will see College members doing a spot of gardening, with a tour of the Environmental Society's Wildlife Garden in Prince’s Gate Gardens, opportunities to get digging and to even pot herbs to take home. It’s hoped the event will raise the profile of this sometimes forgotten bit of College green space and get people interested in growing their own greens.

A fashion focussed Friday sees two workshops led by TRAID (Textile Recycling for Aid and International Development). TRAID  is an organisation working to alleviate poverty and protect the environment globally through advocating the reuse and recycling of clothes. The Make Do and Mend workshops (12.00-14.00 in Sherfield Foyer and 17.00-19.00 in dB’s at Imperial College Union) will focus on clothes-swapping with tips to help restyle second hand clothes. In the evening event at dB’s people will be able trade clothes they no longer want for tokens. A token will ‘buy’ them another piece of clothing, which they will be able to tweak with some restyling and tailoring tips.

Other events across the week include a talk on what health professionals can do to tackle climate change. In a Global Health Forum Talk tonight Dr Robin Stott will discuss ways professionals from managers to clinicians can take positive green action.

 Lunch time film events will start with “The End of the Line” on Monday, a documentary on the global costs of overfishing. “A Time comes” follows on Tuesday, exploring last year’s protest at Kingsnorth power station. On Thursday Green week organisers have joined forces with Facilities Management to arrange a Green Fair from 11am until 3pm in the Great Hall. It will feature a number of groups involved in contributing to Imperial’s sustainable activities, from the recycling organisation WRAP through to the Imperial College Veg Society.

Also on Thursday there will also be a flash mob on Upper Dalby Court at 13.00, with participants spelling out “10:10”, celebrating the 10:10 campaign for cutting carbon emissions by 10% in 2010.  In the evening the head of Friends of the Earth’s England campaign team, Paul de Zylva, will be speaking on "Reasons to be cheerful: how to turn economic gloom into environmental boom".

Green Week will then go out with a bang, ending with live bands in a Finale event on Friday evening in dB’s.

For the complete schedule and more details see the Green Week website.

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