1. Go Green Champions 2014

2. Your Role as a Go Green Champion ► Welcome ►Go Green Champions ► Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Main Purpose of Role ► To assist in championing the University’s environment and sustainability agenda. ► To educate, energise and engage with staff and students about the environment and sustainability agenda. ► To identify opportunities for the University to improve its sustainability performance. Key Duties ► To raise awareness amongst staff, students and visitors about sustainability. ► To communicate and advise good environmental practice to staff and students. ► To help organise and/or participate in sustainability events and initiatives. ► To assist on delivering key campaigns such as: ► Waste and recycling ► Energy saving ► Green travel ► Sustainable purchasing ► To represent their department / area as required, for example in completing the Go Green Awards workbook. Launch: May 2014 First Submission: September 2014 Final Submission: December 2014 Awards: February 2015

3. Action Pack - Auditing ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: AuditingY / N Comment / Actions Completio n Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 1. Department has undertaken an audit of their area, identifying certain key areas for improvement. This can either be done independently or through audit days offered by the Go Green Team on 12 th and 19 th May. Departments that have previously carried out an audit will receive bonus points for showing continual improvement and having addressed things previously flagged up. An audit template is provided online.online. June 20144 x 4 (16) 2. Department creates an Action Plan of items that are highlighted in the audit. A template for this is provided at the back of the Audit Template and further training can be provided by the Go Green Team as required. July 20144 x 4 (16) 3.The Go Green Champion has taken part in the peer- auditing programme, teaming up with another department to conduct environmental assessments to check their performance and share ideas/best practice. The Energy, Environment & Sustainability team will provide contact details of a ‘buddy’ you can exchange ideas with. A template for the Peer Audit is available online. online. October 2014 4 x 3 (12)

4. Action Pack - Communications ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: CommunicationsY / N Comment / ActionsCompletion Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 1. The Green Champion(s) and Green Leaders have introduced themselves to the rest of the department and have requested suggestions (either on sustainability in general, or on a specific topic such as energy saving). May 20143 x 1 (3) 2. The department has a sustainability group set up with support from multiple staff members. The group have met at least once with plans for future meetings. If the department is too small to have sustainability group, environmental issues could be included as a regular item on the agenda of departmental team meetings. Evidence could show an agenda and/or minutes from a meeting. June 20142 x 3 (6) 3. The department has a notice board (or email group) displaying environmental information, including, as a minimum: details of the department’s Go Green Champion, the University’s Sustainability Policy, the Estates helpdesk contact information and the top 10 tips poster. Posters can be found online.online. June 20144 x 1 (4) 4. All new staff members in the department are given information on energy awareness and sustainable habits within the first week. This can be done through meeting with their Green Leader or Champion Extra points will be awarded when departments include details on environment and sustainability in new staff welcome packs. August 20142 x 1 (2)

5. Action Pack – Energy ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: EnergyY / N Comment / ActionsCompletion Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 1.The 'cooling' temperature set point on all air condition control panels is no lower than 23 degrees. Sticker templates can be found online.online. June 20144 x 1 (4) 2.The Go Green Champion has used the University’s online dashboard system. The dashboard can be found here Please contact the Go Green Team for metering information.here Go Green Team June 20142 x 1 (2) 3. Equipment in the department has been labelled with stickers. Sticker templates and images can be found online. online. August 20144 x 1 (4) 4. The department has timers on non-essential equipment (e.g. printers, coffee machines, water coolers) to automatically switch off out of office hours. Timers can be provided by the Go Green Team.Go Green Team. N.B. Some printers may already have an automatic shutdown system; contact ISA for details. August 20143 x 1 (3) 5. If departments have a dishwasher in their communal kitchen then they should put these on the eco setting. Tip: Try using environmentally friendlier dishwasher tablets and ensure the dishwasher is full. August 20143 x 1 (3) 6. The department is aware of its position in the energy league and updates all staff on how the department is doing. Updates to go up on notice board or via e-mail. A monthly league is shown in the MB Foyer and a report is sent to each department. Contact the Go Green Team for more information.Go Green Team August 20142 x 1 (2)

6. Action Pack – Energy ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: EnergyY / N Comment / ActionsCompletion Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 7. The department has implemented a shutdown checklist for end of day / holidays and assigned responsibility for specific times / equipment. A shutdown checklist can be found online.online. December 20144 x 2 (8) 8. Department has encouraged staff to turn down heater valves rather than opening windows. When windows are open and heating is on, reminders are left to discourage this practice. Sticker templates can be found online.online. December 20144 x 1 (4) 9. The department has encouraged staff not to bring in or use personal kettles, personal fridges, printers and personal heaters where communal kitchens/printers are available. All supplementary heaters are prohibited except with prior authorisation from the Head of Estates Engineering.Head of Estates Engineering Unwanted electrical items can be collected by the Porters. December 20143 x 3 (9) 10. The department has ensured that kitchen appliances are kept to a minimum, i.e. 1 kettle / instant boiler, 1 fridge, 1 microwave. If departments have more than one communal fridge, champions are encouraged to look at the amount of items and combine everything in one fridge. The empty fridge should be cleaned and switched off until required. Tip: fridges should be set to a warmer setting than at home as food is typically not left for long periods and won’t go off e.g. Between setting 2-4. December 20143 x 3 (9)

7. Action Pack - Travel ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: TravelY / N Comment / ActionsCompletion Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 1. The department encourages staff to use sustainable travel options to commute to work. For example staff can find out about discounted rail and bus passes, cycling facilities or car sharing. June 20144 x 3 (12) 2. The department has encouraged staff to use the travel hierarchy for business travel. Follow the guidelines on our webpage. Posters promoting business mileage for cyclists, use of the electric car and loan bikes.webpage. August 20142 x 3 (6) 3. Staff are encouraged to use technology to reduce travel via Collaborate or Skype. Contact the ISA Helpdesk for more information.ISA Helpdesk August 20144 x 1 (4) 4. The Green Champion should encourage the use of the University’s travel provider. Evidence could be increases in the number of transport bookings that the department has done, with the aim to eliminate all personal bookings.travel provider This allows accurate carbon measuring, encourages lower carbon alternatives and the university is aware of where staff are in case of local emergencies/disasters. August 20143 x 3 (9)

8. Action Pack – Waste ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: WasteY / N Comment / ActionsCompletion Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 1. The department has actively removed individual bins and created a central recycling centre for staff to segregate their waste. June 20142 x 2 (4) 2. The department has carried out a visual audit of recycling centres. This is to ensure bins are labelled correctly, the correct colour coded lids are on bins, the correct posters are clearly visible and items are disposed of in line with guidelines. Look at the Recycling A-Z for hints and tips.Recycling A-Z July 20144 x 2 (8) 3. Staff within the department are encouraged to reuse scrap paper and envelopes, and there is a designated point to store these for reuse. There are bonus points available where other waste reduction/reuse initiatives have been implemented. August 20142 x 2 (4) 4. The department has ensured that any junk mail or post addressed to ex-staff members has been stopped. If current staff members are receiving unwanted junk mail you can register with the Mailing Preference Service.Mailing Preference Service. August 20143 x 1 (3) 5. The department provides cups / glasses to prevent use of disposable alternatives. This includes during meetings. Staff can purchase mugs for life and cups from life from campus catering outlets. Departments can bulk buy these at a discounted rate.catering outlets. August 20143 x 1 (3)

9. Action Pack –Procurement ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts Criteria: ProcurementY / N Comment / Actions Completion Date Points (Benefit x Achievability) 1. Where possible, the department uses sustainable alternatives when purchasing stationery and marketing materials such as using paper that is 100% recycled content; vegetable based inks etc. Guidance is provided online.online. August 20142 x 1 (2) 2. All staff members are required to check availability of furniture and other office items stored in the furniture store prior to ordering new items. For more information contact the University Porters. August 20144 x 1 (4) 3. The department has removed all desktop printers and replaced them with energy efficient multi-functional devices / printers (to be ordered through ISA). Departments should implement ‘follow me’ printers wherever possible to reduce paper consumption. August 20142 x 4 (8) 4. The department has replaced free-standing water bottles with plumbed-in water coolers wherever possible. Details for purchase and installation of plumbed-in systems can be found on the Purchasing Website.Purchasing Website. August 20142 x 2 (4) 5. Any Coffee and Tea provided by the department is Fairtrade. Aston University is a Fairtrade University.Fairtrade University. August 20142 x 1 (2)

10. Action Pack – Innovation ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ►Action Pack ► FAQs ► Contacts An Innovation Award will be awarded for actions above and beyond this pack. For example: - innovative behaviour, initiatives or ideas undertaken within the department; - organising / volunteering at an event such as Go Green Week; - taking part in online activities and competitions; - keep an eye on the Go Green webpages for more detail throughout the year; - running your own awareness campaign or departmental competition. Please provide details in the comments box below:

11. Case Study 1- Catering ► Waste Management: Catering use the Rocket composter Advertise use of coffee grounds for composting 3663 recycle waste cooking oil ► Energy Efficiency: Purchased new energy efficient coffee machine for Café Tierra with auto shut down to conserve power Purchased new more efficient dishwasher that uses less water Front of house fridges now have a full shut off over night Introduced eco-friendly vending machines ► Ethical All juices are now Fairtrade Meat Free Fridays every month ► Mugs for Life’ = 427 mugs sold ► Introduction of the Eco Mugs - for soft drinks ► Hospitality bottled water – 164 bottles delivered a month across campus ► ‘Paperless communications – Touch Pay and DINEAU ► Suppliers of meat and fruit and veg are local organisation who aim to source local products to reduce the carbon footprint ► Reviewed product lines and nominated suppliers and reduced deliveries and supplies to decrease our carbon footprint

12. Case Study 2- Library ► Have a Library Go green group – meets once a month ► Have designed and replaced all the signage on bins in the library to better meet the needs of the environment. This has been very successful. ► During Go Green week library staff members participated in many events with donating more unwanted items to charity than any other department. ► Fair trade: The library hosted one of the events for fair trade fortnight library staff actively participated in this. ► Book recycling : The department ensures any unwanted books are sent to other libraries and charity rather than simply discarded. Unwanted books which are valuable are sold and the revenue given to nominated charities. This includes books which are donated to the library but are not suitable to adding to stock. ► Furniture not needed when second and third floored closed for refurbishment was donated to several charities. ► CD cases hundreds of were no longer required and offered on the staff web pages and were collected and made use of by a member of staff from another department.

13. FAQ’s ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ► Action Pack ►FAQs ► Contacts 1.How does it work? Go Green Champions is an environmental competition. It comprises of a list of criterion outlining actions to reduce your department’s environmental impact. Departments simply work through the list of actions marking those that they meet, and in doing so collect points along the way. 2.How are the awards calculated? At the end of the competition, the top three highest scoring teams will be awarded Gold, Silver and Bronze awards. There will also be an Innovation Award available to encourage departments to think outside the box with their greening efforts, The Go Green Champions Award will go to the department that the Go Green Team believe have gone above and beyond in the campaign. 3.What happens if more than one person signs up from one department? The action pack will be sent to all the people who have requested to sign up to the competition, and these individuals will be put in touch with each other so they can work together. However, if you are a large department, you may wish to break down into a number of teams. Nothing like encouraging a bit of healthy intra-departmental competition after all... 4.Will all departments be measured the same, regardless or size or staff? We plan on measuring all departments equally, because most of the criteria are not dependant on staff numbers. However, if you feel that your department would be at a disadvantage, then why not contact a colleague and see if two smaller departments would like working together? This would work particularly well if you share office space or have similar responsibilities.

14. FAQ’s ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ► Action Pack ►FAQs ► Contacts 5.Is this the same for the schools? This goes the same for schools and school groups - recognising that the schools are different sizes, we would suggest initially that the school groups work separately to encourage a bit of healthy competition. However if you feel that this won't work for you, please contact us and we can discuss this. 6.When is the sign-up deadline? We ask that all departments have signed up before 12 th May. 7. What is the deadline for completing the action pack? Each criteria has a different deadline. The first submission will be September, with the final deadline in December 2014. The action packs will then be marked, checked and, in some cases, audited, before the Awards are given out. 8. How much time will we need to complete the action pack? The action pack shouldn't take up too much of your time. It is designed to be completed by the department, not by an individual so the workload should be shared by a number of people. Almost all of the questions can be answered with a simple Yes / No so it is fairly simple to complete. 9. Will we get any help with completing the action pack? Yes. There are lots of resources available online and you can contact other Champions for advice (if they are willing to help - it is a competition after all!). And of course, the Go Green Team are always available to answer your queries, contact them via email on environment@aston.ac.uk. environment@aston.ac.uk

15. Contact us… ► Welcome ► Go Green Champions ► Action Plan ► FAQs ►Contacts For more information or if you have any questions, concerns or suggestions, please email the team at: environment@aston.ac.ukenvironment@aston.ac.uk Or check the website: www.aston.ac.uk/go-green-champions

16. GOOD LUCK!