{"id":1146,"date":"2023-01-11T09:00:24","date_gmt":"2023-01-11T09:00:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-services\/?p=1146"},"modified":"2023-01-12T09:05:14","modified_gmt":"2023-01-12T09:05:14","slug":"our-ambitions-for-a-sustainable-university-and-how-you-can-get-involved","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.kent.ac.uk\/student-services\/2023\/01\/11\/our-ambitions-for-a-sustainable-university-and-how-you-can-get-involved\/","title":{"rendered":"Our ambitions for a sustainable University, and how you can get involved"},"content":{"rendered":"

If you’ve returned after the winter holidays thinking about what changes you might make in your life this year, you’re not alone. The start of the year is a great time to take stock and start thinking about ways you might change your behaviour to reduce the pressure on the planet.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

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What does sustainability mean?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

To sustain means to ‘support’, ‘hold’ or ‘keep up’, and when we talk about sustainability, people often firstly think about environmental sustainability – that is protecting the planet, halting climate change and promoting social development. This means thinking creatively about how we might cover our present needs without compromising resources for future generations. This is also intertwined with concepts of social and economic sustainability, making sure that our progress as a society can be maintained without leaving anyone behind.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

What are we doing at Kent to meet sustainability goals?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

The University are signatories of the <\/span>Sustainable Development Goals<\/span><\/a> Education Accord. That means we are committed to embedding the 17 biggest global challenges of our time into everything we do; our operations, teaching and research.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

Our ambition is that by 2025, even before visiting us, people will be aware that the university is a key actor in addressing the climate and ecological emergency and is demonstrating dramatic reductions in CO2 emissions. Through our campuses and online presence, our staff, students and the local community will experience the obvious actions and activities that show how seriously the University of Kent takes climate action and social and environmental responsibility. Every building on our campuses will show signs of having moved to more sustainable power. Our transport systems will be much less fossil-fuel based, and our shops, cafes and restaurants will focus on more sustainable produce. Our green spaces will demonstrate our connection to the natural environment, making spaces for people to enjoy that protect, enhance and allow biodiversity to flourish. More than all this, our education will be steeped in a culture of continuous improvement to ensure that all our students in all subjects are learning the skills and knowledge needed for a sustainable future. You can read about all of our targets in the University\u2019s <\/span>Sustainability Strategy<\/span><\/a>.<\/span>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n

How can you get involved?<\/span><\/b>\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n