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SustainabilityAwarenessFind out about Griffith’s sustainability commitment and what you can do

CONTENTS

Welcome

1. What you can do

2. What is being done

3. Next steps

Griffith University’s long term commitment to sustainability and the environment was recognised in 2017 Green Gown Awards AustralasiaWATCH

Welcome

ê TheprinciplesofsustainabilityhavebeenacorecommitmentofGriffithUniversitysinceitsfoundationoverfortyyearsago.

ê Sustainabilityencompassesenvironmental,socialandeconomicdimensions.Awidelyaccepteddefinitionofsustainabilityis:“Meetingtheneedsofthepresentwithoutcompromisingtheabilityoffuturegenerationstomeettheirownneeds”.(Brundtland Report, 1987)

ê ThisSustainabilityAwarenessmoduleprovidesasnapshotofsustainabilityatGriffith.Thankyoufortakingthetimetobeinformedandtofindouthoweasyitisforyoutointegratesustainablepracticesintoallthatyoudo.

Sustainability Awareness

EnergyefficiencyisahighpriorityfortheUniversity.

TIPS: All areas

ê Turnofflights,computers,monitorsandnon-essentialequipmentwhennotrequiredincludingattheendoftheday.

ê Keepdoorsandwindowsclosedinareasairconditioned.

ê Buyenergyefficientappliancesandequipment.

Laboratories

ê Turnofflaboratoryequipmentwherepossible,whennotinuse,especiallyanythingwithaheatingfunction.

ê Keepfumehoodsasheslowasmuchaspossible.Fumehoodsnotonlyoperatemoreeffectivelybutthisreducestheairconditioningloadandassociatedenergyusage.

LEARN MORE: ê Sustainabilitywebsite–CarbonandEnergy

ê Sustainabilitywebsite–GreenLabsProgram

Reduce energy usage

1. What you can do

Sustainability Awareness

GriffithUniversityactivelyreduceswaterusewherepossible.

TIPS: All areas

ê Minimisewaterusage

ê Purchasewaterefficientequipmentandappliances

ê Ifadishwasherisavailable,completelyfillit,thenuseit

ê ReportwaterleakstoCampusLife–submitanonlinerequestFacilitiesAssist

Laboratories

ê OnlyuseReverseOsmosis(RO)waterwhennecessary

ê Whenwashinglabware,fillthesinkratherthanusingrunningwater.

Water Bubblers – an alternate to bottled water

ê Thinkaboutrefillingyourownwaterbottleoncampus.Stainlesssteel(BPAfree)waterbottlescanbepurchasedfrommostfoodoutlets.Waterbubblersarelocatedonallcampuses.

LEARN MORE: ê Sustainabilitywebsite–Water

Conserve water

TheUniversityseekstominimizewastegoingtolandfill.

Recyclingoptionsincludepaper,cardboard,printerandtonercartridges,mobilephonesandbatteries,E-waste(computersandassociatedequipment),andrecyclables(glass,plastics,aluminiumcans).

TIPS: ê Placepaperrecyclingbinsnearprinters

andphotocopiers

ê MobilephoneandbatterycollectionpointsarelocatedinallGriffithlibraries

ê Recyclingandcompostingbinsarelocatedacrossallcampuses.

ContactyourCampusOperationsCoordinator,CampusLifetoarrangerecyclingbins.Toorderbin/ssubmitanonlinerequestFacilitiesAssist

LEARN MORE: ê Sustainabilitywebsite–RecyclingandWaste

Reduce, reuse and recycle

TheprocurementteamatGriffithiscommittedtoraisingawarenessofsustainablepurchasingthatoffersreducedenvironmentalimpactsoverthelife-cycleofgoodsorservices.

TIPS: ê Useon-lineorderingandconsolidaterequests.

ê Buyonlywhatyouneed–keepaneyeonwhatyoustore.

ê Askyoursupplierifthereisarecycledcontentoptionforyournextpurchase.

ê Lookforthe‘EnergyStar’whenpurchasingprinters,computersandappliances.

ê Considersharing–sharelab,officeorotherequipmentandresourcestoreduceunnecessarypurchases.

ê Uselocalsupplierswherepossible.

End of Life

ê Considertheoptionsfordisposal:Cantheitemberepaired,reusedorrecycled?

LEARN MORE: ê Sustainabilitywebsite–Purchasing

Practice sustainable purchasing

Sustainability Awareness

GriffithUniversity’sCouncilmembersleadthewayonpaperlessmeetingsin2011.Griffith’sappointmentprocesswentpaperlessin2013.Manyotherareasareworkingtoreducetheirpaperusage.

TIPS:ê Thinkbeforeyouprint–everyday

ê Donotchangethedefaultduplex(doublesidedprinting)settingonyourMulti-functiondevice(MFD)

ê Useelectronicversionsforpolicies,formsandotherdocuments

ê Readfromthescreenwherefeasible

ê Thinkaboutallprocesses–couldpaperversionsbechangedovertoelectronic?

ê Whenprintingpromotionalmaterial–don’toverorder.

Reduce paper usage

GriffithUniversityencouragesitsstaffandstudentstousesustainabletransport.

TIPS: ê Usepublictransport,cycling,

walking,carpooling,intercampusbuses,wherepossible

ê Usevideoconferencingfacilitiestoreducetravelneeds.Considerallonlineoptionsat:

https://intranet.secure.griffith.edu.au/work/collaboration

ê Ourintercampusbustravelsevery15minutesbetweenNathanandMtGravattcampusesandtheStudentGuildIntercampusBusregularlytravelsbetweenGoldCoastandNathancampuses.

ê Findoutabouttraveloptions,carpooling,cyclingfacilitiesandhowtogettoeachofourfivecampusesat‘CampusesandFacilities’.

Use sustainable transport

Takeawalktoenjoytheenvironmentandusethe‘GrowsatGriffith’appthatprovidesaninteractiveandeasy-to-usefloradatabaseof300plantsfoundonGriffithUniversitycampuses.YoucandownloadthisappforfreefromtheAppstoreandGoogleplay.

Enhanceyoureventsandmeetingsandreduceenvironmentalimpacts.

TIPS:ê Useelectroniccommunication

andpromotion,ratherthanprintedmaterial

ê Useonlineregistrationforattendanceandcatertofinalnumbers

ê Considerbiodegradableorrecycledmerchandiseandgiveaways

ê Usevideoconferencingwherepossibletoreducetravel

ê Placewasteandrecyclingbinsinprominentlocations.

LEARN MORE:SustainableEventsandMeetingsChecklist

Hold sustainable events

Fromitsinception,GriffithUniversityhasmaintainedtheenvironmentalintegrityofitscampusatNathan.The225hectaresatNathanandMtGravatt,andthe60hectareGoldCoastcampusarehometospeciesofrarefloraandfauna.TheLogancampusfeaturesanativearboretum.

TIPS: ê Placerubbishinappropriatebins

anddon’tlitter.

ê Don’tfeednativeanimals,particularlybirds.Theybecomedependentonyourfood.

ê Minimisewhatyouputdownthedrain.Thingslikeoilsandchemicalsmaystartatthesinkbutcanendupinourwaterwaysandseas.

LEARN MORE: Sustainabilitywebsite–Biodiversity

Support natural ecosystems

Sustainability Awareness

Griffithfostersasustainableculture:

ê ‘Tobeasustainableuniversity’isoneoffivekeygoalsinGriffithUniversity’sStrategicPlan2018–2019.

ê Griffith’sSustainabilityPlansupportsourstrategicdirectionandcoversexecutivemanagement,humanresourcemanagement,teachingandresearch,communityengagementandpartnerships,andoperationalpractices.

ê TheUniversity’sSustainabilityPolicyunderpinstheUniversity’ssustainabilitycommitment.

ê GriffithisaresearchintensiveUniversitywithanestablishedinternationalprofileininnovativeandinterdisciplinaryresearch.

ê Ourworld-classresearchersworkincollaborationwithindustry,governmentandthecommunitytotacklebigissuesinsustainability.

ê FindoutmoreaboutourresearchrelatingtosustainabilityontheNewsandEventswebpageoftheSustainabilitywebsite.

ê ViewGriffithResearchCentresandInstitutes

Sustainability Policy and Plans Research

ê Griffith’sSustainabilityTeachingNetworkincludesrepresentativesfromeachAcademicGroup.

ê TheSustainabilityHubforlearningandteaching,launchedin2015byGriffith’sSustainabilityTeachingNetwork,isaLearning@GriffithOrganisationthatprovidesstaffandstudentswithinteractiveresourcesonsustainability.

ê Over440resourcesareavailableforstaffandstudents.

LEARN MORE: Sustainabilitywebsite–LearningandTeaching

Sustainability Teaching Network and Hub

2. What is being done

Sustainability Awareness

GriffithwasthefirstAustralianUniversitytoofferanEnvironmentalSciencedegreein1975andnowoffersawiderangeofundergraduateandpostgraduateprogramsonsustainability.

InterdisciplinaryundergraduateandpostgraduateprogramsatGriffithUniversityconnecteconomic,socialandenvironmentalconditionsthatshapetheworld.Studentsareintroducedtocriticalthinkingandproblemsolvingtohelppreparethemtoberesponsibleglobalcitizens.

LEARN MORE: Sustainabilitywebsite–LearningandTeaching

Griffith’scommunityengagementinsustainabilityisbasedonourcapacitytorespondtocommunityneedsthrougheducation,publicawarenessandinvolvementwithregardtoinnovativeresearch.

Griffithstaffandstudentscanjoincommunityeventsandactivities,including:

ê CoastalCommunityEngagementProgram

ê EcoCentreCommunityProgram

ê GriffithCentreforSustainableEnterprise

ê GriffithReview

Sustainability Teaching Programs

Community Engagement

GriffithUniversityhasastrongreputationforenvironmentalresponsibilityandleadership.TheUniversity’sCampusMasterPlansensurecampusexpansionissensitivetoournaturalenvironmentandpreservesasmuchaspossibleofthesurroundingecosystems.

Environmentalsustainabilityisreflectedinourbuildingdesign,aswellasenergy,water,wasteandrecyclingpractices.

LEARN MORE

Sustainable campuses

Staff Sustainability AwardsGriffithUniversity’sStaffSustainabilityawardsrecogniseinnovativeandeffectivesustainablepracticeatGriffithUniversity.

Sustainability Awareness

3. Next stepsVIDEO:It is easy to be sustainable at Griffith

It’s easy to be sustainable at Griffith University, sign our sustainability pledge and commit to making a small change every day.

Sign up to sustainable practices

ê SubscribetoGriffith’sfreeonlineSustainabilityNewsletter.ItprovidesuptodateinformationonsustainabilityinitiativesatGriffith.

SignuptoGriffith’sSustainabilityNewsletter

Newsletter

ê TheGriffithMugClubaimstoreducetheuseofpapercupsonourcampusesandsavesover40000papercupsfromgoingtolandfillperyear.

ê Whenyoupurchaseyourownpersonalmugyourfirstcoffeeisfree.Youwillthenenjoyadiscountoneverycoffee,whenusingyourGUMug.

Reusable Coffee Mug

ê Bymakingsmallchanges,youcanmakeadifference…

ê Whenyousignupyoubecomeapartofanetworkofstaffandstudentswhointegratesustainabilityintoallthattheydo.

SignuptoGriffith’sSustainabilityCommitment

RESOURCES:ê Sustainability Policyê Sustainability Plan ê Sustainability Report 2013–2015ê Sustainable events and meetings checklist

VIDEOS:ê Green Gown Awards Australasia 2017 Finalistê Sign Griffith’s Sustainability Pledgeê Making gardening easier – groNATIVE appê New life for threatened plant speciesê Griffith excels in creating $23.3M ‘green’ carpark

WATCH

Sustainability Awareness

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