Climate change and sustainability top of the agenda for NCC Green Week

Students were proud to get involved in New City College’s Green Week where they faced concerns about the environment and climate change and also learned about sustainable initiatives.

As well as talks and activities that were held on campus throughout the week, the college joined the Just One Tree charity fundraiser which aims to plant trees across the globe in an effort to reduce carbon emissions.

Students at the Tower Hamlets campus met with the local borough council for a productive discussion around a net zero carbon partnership action plan. They listened to presenters and then provided feedback as well as suggestions for a more sustainable future, concluding that we all need to do more – and quickly.

On campus and online talks by prominent climate change and environmental speakers were arranged for every day during the campaign week. Particularly popular was the talk by Steve Frampton MBE, the FE Climate Commissioner; a Fashion, Ethics and Sustainability presentation and also the discussion with Lisa Thompson, from Greenpeace titled The Climate Crisis: The Science, the Facts and What We Can All Do About It which had a huge attendance and generated many questions from staff and students.

At the Hackney campus, a windmill that charged phones was a great success with students queuing to use the planet-friendly system.

At the Havering and Redbridge campuses there were upcycling and recycling workshops, tutorials around climate change, classes where clothes were made from recycled materials, T-shirts recycled into bags and media students produced videos with powerful environmental messages.

The college continued its work on an action plan to reduce emissions and pledged to put the green agenda higher up the priority list. To mark the week, a new Level 2 Certificate in Climate Change qualification was launched by the Distance Learning team, which is a free online course for eligible staff and adult students

At the Epping Forest campus students on Tourism and Aviation courses set up various stalls with activities such as a raffle, cake sale, games, Green Pong, and a Lucky Leaf Dip to bring awareness of Green Week to other students. They raised just over £100 which will be used for the SEND sensory garden.

Simone Butler, Tourism and Aviation lecturer, said: “The students created all their own activities making sure everything that was created was made with re-cycled materials. They were really pleased to raise over £100 and are looking forward to seeing the sensory garden that will be designed using the money raised.”

Tourism student Elizabeth Ilechie said: “I enjoyed raising awareness and money for Green Week with the rest of my class. We were pleased that we brought awareness of the issues and helped to make a change.”