Sustainability Services Update, April 2021

E-cargo bikes for trial

The Sustainability Service has loaned three electric cargo bikes from Leeds City Council for anyone at the University to use. The bikes allow transportation of deliveries via bike for a quick, cheap, easy and green alternative to vehicles.

The bikes are great for heavy, bulky local deliveries with each bike allowing for up to 40 miles assisted cycling and having a load capacity of up to 100kg or 900 litres.

Dr Lousie Ellis, Director of Sustainability, said, “We are committed to driving forward sustainability, and an important part of this is looking at how we move around the campus and the city. This pilot will help us to test alternative operational solutions and I would urge staff in the FD to give the e-cargo bikes a try.

We will be monitoring the environmental and health benefits of the bikes and I am looking forward to seeing the positive impacts these have. Transforming our operational models to incorporate active and sustainable modes of travel into our campus fleets reflects our ambitious Travel and Climate Plan targets.”

This is a three-month scheme and if you would like to trial using one of these bikes get in touch with Romain Cames r.cames@leeds.ac.uk

Sustainability Awards

Over the past month Sustainability has had lots of nominations for the Annual Sustainability Awards, especially from colleagues across the Facilities Directorate. Thank you to everyone who has sent in a nomination – it’s been fantastic to see the great work taking place to embed sustainability across the University.

Shortlisted nominations will be announced in early May and you can see these on our social media and the Sustainability website. The winners will be announced in June.

Management essential course

Last month the Sustainability Service ran a newly updated Management Essentials Sustainability Course, this was a huge success with 20 people successfully completing the training. The course is aimed at managers who want to find out more about sustainability at Leeds and how to apply this to their role.

The new online format included videos from people across the University, podcasts and useful voiceovers on slides followed by a session where attendees could explore what they had learnt further. The course received positive feedback from the attendees who will now be putting into practice what they have learnt.

The next course will be taking place on 18 May and you can sign up on the OD&PL website.

Student Sustainability Conference

The call for applications for the Annual Student Sustainability Research Conference is now live! The conference gives students the chance to share the work and research they are doing by presenting at the conference. So, if you are working with students on a Living Lab project, embedding sustainability in your area or perhaps you know a student who is making sustainable change in another way then please encourage them to apply.

All the details are on the Sustainability website or get in touch with Kelly Forster for more information K.H.Forster@leeds.ac.uk.

Educating local schools

As part of a Natural Flood Management project looking at the impact of planting trees, the Sustainability Service have worked with Hazel Mooney from the United Bank of Carbon to create a suite of educational videos and resources for local schools. These resources help primary level children to learn about the benefits of trees and how important they are in our cities.