Lawrence Coomber, Union President
The 22nd April is Earth Day, where millions of people across the planet take a day of action to reduce their energy usage and give Mother Earth time to breathe.
This year’s theme is OUR POWER, OUR PLANET – focusing on how renewable energy can power our whole economies if we triple clean energy generation by 2030.
We at SUSU have continued to lobby the University to invest in solar power on our estate, and other renewables whilst reducing our reliance and investment into fossil fuels.
Whilst we work hard on the big changes, here are some top tips for some small changes you can do to help in your everyday lives:
- Turn off devices: Unplug devices rather than leaving them on standby – especially TVs, gaming consoles and chargers.
- Use eco settings on appliances: Choose eco modes on your dishwasher and washing machine to reduce energy consumption without sacrificing performance.
- Take shorter showers: Reducing your shower time from the UK average of 8 minutes to under 5 minutes makes a meaningful difference daily. Consider slightly lowering your hot water temperature if you regularly add in cold water.
- Switch off lights when not needed: This saves energy and extends the life of your light bulbs.
- Cook efficiently: Use pan lids, batch cook, and consider energy-efficient cooking methods like air fryers or microwaves when appropriate.
These may seem simple but together they add up and will reduce your energy bill whilst also saving the planet.
We encourage everyone to take an Earth Day Pledge, such as swapping plastic bottles for reusable ones, no to fast fashion, or joining a litter picking group.
We look forward to seeing all the action you do on Earth Day! Keep an eye out for what we do at SUSU on our social media, and check out the website below to learn more about Earth Day.