Teach Sustainably

10 ways to make your teaching space more sustainable

A guide for academics

  1. Try to decrease your paper use where possible. Avoid printing out lots of handouts, and instead offer digital resources that students can read on their screens and print out if needed. If you do need to print something for students, make sure you don’t print more copies than necessary. Try to take the register online instead of handing round paper.

 

  1. Provide a list of textbooks that can be accessed electronically so that students do not have to buy physical copies of each one, and remind them that copies can be found in the library. Provide resources for where they may be able to purchase these books second-hand.

 

  1. In teaching spaces with windows, make sure that the blinds are open to allow in sunlight so lights don’t have to be on all the time. To further limit need for artificial light, avoid working in a large teaching space by yourself into the evening. Instead, if you can, work from an office, a communal area such as library or staff room, or from home.

 

  1. If you are the last one leaving a space, make sure to turn off all the lights so they do not stay on when the room isn’t in use. Also turn off appliances or equipment in the room, for example projectors or interactive boards (do not turn off computers or printers, as these need to be kept on to receive updates).

 

  1. If you spot any faults in your teaching space (e.g. faulty window seals, damaged appliances, problems with lighting, heating or cooling) make sure to report these to estates so that they can fix the issue and ensure everything in the space is working as efficiently as possible and not wasting energy. If your teaching space is routinely too hot or cold and there is nothing you can control within the room, please also report this to Estates, as they may be able to adjust the temperature for you on the central system.

 

  1. Are there recycling bins in your teaching space? If not, you can contact Estates to request them, along with appropriate signage to direct students on what can go in the bins.

 

  1. If you need to request any new furniture or equipment for your office or teaching space, try using the Warpit reuse network on campus, which allows staff across the university to swap and reuse furniture. You can also be on the lookout for any departments having clear outs of folders, stationery supplies etc, as they may sometimes offer these to other departments or staff.

 

  1. If arranging or holding any events for other staff or students in your teaching space, then consult our sustainable events guide to ensure you are minimising the impact through actions such as limiting disposable items at events, for example leaflets or freebies and ensuring these is proper waste management. Support the University’s Sustainable food plan and Right to Food initiative by choosing sustainable refreshment options prioritising local and plant-based options and ensuring you are minimising food waste.

 

  1. Think about the sustainability of your own items you bring to work and how you could reduce waste- for example, could you use refillable pens or board markers instead of disposable, or could you bring your own lunch, reusable cutlery, water bottle and coffee cup to work instead of buying packaged food on campus?

 

  1. If you want to embed sustainability in your teaching, check out the webpage University of Kent ESD, where we detail our education for sustainable development strategy, provide some case studies of sustainable learning at Kent, and a toolkit for embedding sustainability into your curriculum.

 

Want to do even more?

For those interested, there are plenty of projects and programmes for staff to get involved with to support sustainability at the University. For example, you could become one of our FutureProof staff sustainability champions, to ensure your voice is heard on sustainability issues that matter to you.

If you work in the sciences and hold any classes in laboratories, and are interested in introducing more sustainable lab practices, you could consider getting involved with the Technician Commitment Working Group, who are looking at implementing UCL’s LEAF (Laboratory Efficiency Assessment Framework) here at Kent.

You can also show your support for sustainability by promoting environmental initiatives at the University, both for staff and students. To encourage students to engage in sustainability activities, you could consider adding a slide promoting initiatives at the beginning or end of your lectures.