Join our Sustainable Halls campaign to learn about and adopt more sustainable living habits, participate in activities to improve sustainability in Halls, and take on challenges for your chance to win prizes.
Through the campaign, residents of Imperial halls will compete to be the most sustainable! The hall which engages the most with the campaign will win a pizza party for their hall at the end of the year.
6 ways to get involved in the campaign
- 1. Learn about sustainable living habits
- 2. Utilise reuse schemes
- 3. Take on challenges
- 4. Participate in activities
- 5. Share your experiences
- 6. Support as a sustainability ambassador
Get started with our e-inductions for all incoming students
As part of this e-induction, we have a module on sustainability, where you'll learn about the university's commitment to reducing our impact on the environment, saving energy and Imperial's sustainability strategy.
Advice on everyday actions
Saving energy
- Switch appliances off standby - You can save around £45 a year just by remembering to turn your appliances off standby mode. You can turn almost all electrical appliances off at the plug without upsetting their programming. Check the instructions for any appliances you aren’t sure about.
- Be smart with your kettle - Kettles are one of the most used appliances in the kitchen, but many people often boil the kettle with more water than they need. 200ml is the ideal amount of water for a single hot drink.
- Put on layers before the heating - When it feels a little cold, instead of turning up the radiator straight away, opt for a jumper or extra layer first. Wearing several layers of fabric can trap your body heat closer to your body and help you feel warmer.
Learn how Imperial is improving energy efficiency
Saving water
- Avoid letting the tap run unnecessarily - turn the tap off when brushing your teeth or whilst applying soap. Turning the tap off when you don’t need it saves the typical household 9,000 litres of water a year.
- Use full loads for your washing machine and dishwasher - wait until you’ve got enough to fill your appliances before switching them on.
- Report dripping taps – help reduce water wastage by informing the maintenance team of taps in need of repair.
Learn how Imperial is improving water efficiency
Remember the 3Rs: Reduce, reuse, recycle
- Reduce the amount of rubbish you generate - for example, buy loose foods rather than pre-packaged produce, only print documents when necessary and be sure to print double-sided
- Reuse items whenever you can - for example, reuse carrier bags, use rechargeable batteries, buy washing powder in refillable containers
- Recycle - think right thing right bin. Sort your waste into the recycling bins provided, following the signage; you will find these in halls and throughout the university.
Make use of the British Heart Foundation donation points at our halls, along with other reuse schemes like in Woodward and Kemp Porter.
Enter our termly challenges for your chance to win an ethical shopping voucher. The most engaged Hall will also win an end of year pizza party!
Unblocktober action challenge
Unblocktober is the world’s first month-long national campaign and awareness month to improve the health of our drains, sewers, watercourses and seas - driven completely by the British public.
Launched in 2019, the first Unblocktober saw more than 4,500 Britons across the country pledge to change their kitchen and bathroom habits at home and at work.
Tell us how you are taking action this Unblocktober for your chance to win a £10 ethical shopping voucher!
Complete the Unblocktober action challenge form by 1 November.
Sustainability pledge challenge
Share your sustainability pledge for the year ahead! Check out our take action webpage for inspiration.
Challenge form will go live in Spring term.
Sustainability suggestions challenge
Offer your suggestions to improve sustainability in Halls!
Challenge form will go live in Summer term.
Take part in sustainability activities in your Halls
Discover the sustainability activities in your Halls that you can get involved in by reaching out to your Halls Seniors or start your own!
Opportunities will be listed here as we are made aware of them.
Develop skills as a student home energy auditor
Private renting while at university? Learn how to conduct a student home energy audit with training from SOS UK and put your new skills into practice by conducting audits of your own. No experience needed! Receive £15 for each completed audit.
Attend online training on either 27 October or 4 November 3-6pm. This is a fantastic opportunity to gain employability skills in sustainability and make real change in student housing!
Share sustainability tips with friends to raise awareness and grow your positive handprint!
Sustainability and climate change can feel like overwhelming topics at times. Talking with your peers about positive climate action can help make it easier. Knowing other people care about the environment can help find community, mutual support and inspiration.
Get insights from others: check out Imperial Library's sustainability reading list or try the "Outrage and Optimism" podcast.
Become a sustainability ambassador and support a range of engagement initiatives including the Sustainable Halls campaign through assisting with pop-ups, events and social media content creation.
Halls Leaderboard
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