How to make a rubbish trip brilliant

As part of the University’s wellbeing approach, Bishop Grosseteste University’s (BGU) Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching organised a visit to Lincolnshire’s Energy from Waste facility for Geography students to help them see how they could create a sustainable campus.

The waste facility (FCC Environment, Lincolnshire EFW visiting centre) is the largest in Europe and provides a sustainable, safe and affordable waste treatment solution and allows energy to be produced from waste which isn’t recycled or composted.

The plant receives up to 190,000 tonnes of residual waste per year and uses the waste to generate electricity and other by product materials that can be used safely in road construction and recycling.

During the trip students learnt why the facility is important due to its forward thinking attitude, low carbon footprint and ability to divert waste away from landfills along with how they could implement those qualities into their own activities both on and off campus.

Mark Charlesworth, Associate Tutor for Geography at BGU, who accompanied the students said he found the trip an interesting and engaging opportunity:

“The viewing facilities were fantastic. It is important to recognise that currently a large amount of waste is created by society and it is better to recover energy from waste with as little pollution as possible, and this plant demonstrated efficient waste disposal and energy creation”

Claire Thomson, Head of the Centre for Enhancement in Learning and Teaching (CELT), discussed the wider benefits the trip could offer the BGU community:

“This trip was a fantastic way for students and staff to raise their awareness of global sustainability and the role we can all play in this. In addition it builds on our ongoing work with the University’s wellbeing steering group to raise awareness of the importance of a sustainable campus”

As part of these efforts to create a sustainable, mentally positive campus CELT and the wellbeing steering group have been working with the University’s Estates team to craft a series of quiet spaces across BGU. They have also collaborated with the Chaplaincy team on the ‘Blooming Marvellous’ project, and with BGSU and BG Lincoln ltd. on the drive to replace paper cups and plastic straws.

Further improvements to its campus and facilities to reduce its carbon footprint and make the campus more sustainable carried out by BGU include:

Initiatives include:

• Solar control glass to reflect the heat from the sun which results in a cooler, more comfortable, internal room temperature which in turn reduces the need for air-conditioning
• A rainwater harvesting system in the Library which reduces mains water usage
• A hot water solar system in the sports hall, BG Futures and the refectory which reduces gas consumption

If you’d like to be a part of BGU’s drive to create a sustainable and positive campus you can join our student community by visiting our website, talking to our Enquiries Team or by coming along to one of our Open Days.