Sustainability
Everyone can do their bit to be more sustainable and help protect our planet. Find out about SUSU’s sustainable initiatives and partnerships, including our partnership with the University on delivery of their Sustainability Strategy.
University of Southampton Sustainability Strategy
The University of Southampton’s Strategic Plan for Sustainability was developed by the University, in partnership with SUSU. It sets out a vision for a more sustainable University and what we need to achieve to get there.
Student Sustainability Forum
Passionate about climate justice, and ensuring the University takes action to tackle the climate and ecological crisis? Join our student-led forum; an informal group which meets once a month and acts as a sounding board on all issues environmental and ethical.
We want to know what matters to you and what action you want the University and the Students’ Union to take. Sign up here. Meetings are hybrid; in person and on Teams.
Green Sleeve Initiative
- Every time you want a hot drink from The Shop bring along your own cup or purchase one of ours to keep.
- Put one of our FREE green sleeves on your cup before filling it up with your drink of choice.
- At the checkout scan the barcode on the green sleeve to avoid the £1.00* levy on your drink’s price.
Green Week (Monday 22 April - Friday 26 April)
Each year we run Green Week which highlight SUSU's sustainable initiatives & partnerships, and you can also find out how you can get involved in making a difference.
If you have an idea for Green Week 2024 or would like to get involved, please contact our Union President.
Too Good To Go at our venues
We're fighting food waste at our venues by partnering with Too Good To Go, an app which lets you buy and collect food at a discounted price so it gets eaten instead of wasted. Download the Too Good To Go app and search for "The SUSU Shop" to buy our surprise bags of unsold food for just £3.99 (retail value of £10.00).
Teemill: Our Sustainable Clothing Supplier
At The Locker we are passionate about fighting waste and making a difference, and we're proud to have partnered with Teemill as our new merchandise and clothing supplier. Teemill clothing is designed to be returned and remade again and again so it never enters landfill (a process they call 'Remill'), and they make new products from waste materials that are organic and without plastic.
Wildflower Meadows and Wildlife-Friendly Veg Growing
SUSU is managing two wildflower meadows on Highfield campus – one by B42 and one by B32 - which provide habitat for a range of plants and pollinators including bumblebees, solitary bees and hoverflies. We’re also growing vegetables, herbs, fruit, and edible flowers in planters on below Deck and Veg Out and using some of the produce in dishes served in the Plant Pot.
SUSU Environmental Sustainability Policy
SUSU is committed to being an environmentally and socially responsible organisation. Sustainability is integral to everything we do, and we aim to embed environmental and ethical practices in all our activities. Read our policy to find out more.
Visit the Plant Pot
Opening Times: Monday - Friday 11.00 - 15.00
Location: Building 42, Highfield Campus.
The Plant Pot is the home of great vegan food! Enjoy a delicious sub, flatbread, burger, snack pot, salad bowl or loaded fries! Relax with your meal in the Veg Out Space next door.
Research has shown that vegan diets created 75% less dietary greenhouse gas emissions compared to diets, in which more than 100g of meat a day was eaten.
Vegan diets also used 75% less land, required 54% less water, and had a 66% lower impact on biodiversity loss and species extinction.
Source:
Scarborough et al., 2023. Nature Food 4, 565–574.
Sustainability Societies
Beekeeping Society
Campus Collective
Conservation Volunteers
Environmental Science Society
Extinction Rebellion Southampton
Hedgehog Friendly Campus
Marine Conservation Society
Renewability and Sustainability Society (RESUS)
BioCycle (Southampton Hub)
Wildlife Society
Vegan and Vegetarian Society
UoS Sustainability Online Courses
UOSM2043 Global Sustainability Challenges Module
Open to all students. This module will challenge you to develop your own definition of sustainability while considering how it is actioned by the many different actors (from citizens to governments, NGOs and businesses) who play a part in taking decisions about sustainability at various scales at the local and global level.
Southampton Sustainability Solutions
The University offer an online self-led 3-week course to introduce the Sustainability Strategy. You’ll learn about the 6 Goals, what sustainability means for each of us and why it’s important.
