Aston University bags the Bronze award for ‘EcoCampus’ campaign

• Mar. 17 by Victoria Elmore (0)

Aston University has just been awarded the bronze award as they successfully completed the first stage of the ‘EcoCampus’ campaign.

EcoCampus is an Environmental Management system that is tailored to help universities meet the ‘Environmental Management Standard (ISO14001).

The programme, which has four stages, takes place over a three year period. During those three years Universities have to make, enforce and complete plans to make University campuses more ‘eco friendly’.

Aston University now have an approved Sustainability Policy, supported by their Environmental Policy and Ethical Investment Policy.

Victoria Johnsen, the Environment and Sustainability Officer said:

‘We are very proud to have achieved the Bronze Award and we are looking to push forward fairly quickly with the Silver Phase by this summer so that we are on track for our Platinum Status.’

Although the bronze award focuses mainly on information gathering and policy it still brought both staff and students together from a variety of organisations on campus, including: The Environment and Sustainability Team, Sustainable Aston Working Group, The Sustainable Procurement Working Group and The Student Guild.

As a University, Aston are hoping to achieve the platinum award by 2011, to do this they will be making significant sustainability improvements in and around the campus.

These improvements will include increasing recycling across campus, the opening of new student residences, rated ‘BREEAM Excellent’, installing an on-site composter to compost our food and garden waste and continuing to promote their commitment to 10:10, report savings and progress to staff and students.

Victoria Johnsen added:

‘We’ve made great progress recently and have had a lot of support from our staff and students.

Receiving our EcoCampus Bronze Award has helped to highlight the commitment here at Aston to improve our environmental performance and raise awareness of sustainability.’

Aston University are also committed to getting involved with other campaigns and organisations to help contribute to Birmingham being a Fairtrade City.

Here are some pictures from ‘Sustainability Week’ at Aston University: