Do you feel worried or angry about climate change? More and more of us do and it’s a completely natural response. It’s important not to let these emotions overwhelm us and impact our mental health. That’s why Library and Learning Resources and The Academy for Sustainable Futures are focussing our March events on the theme of eco-hope. A month featuring stories of hope and practical sustainable activities you can participate in.

StressLess

Join us for a weekly eco hope themed StressLess with a variety of fun activities available:

Green craft

We have a range of crafts that turn waste into something practical or beautiful or simply a second life:

• Create a bird feeder from an old plastic bottle.
• Upcycle glassware; we have a variety of rescued drinking glasses, bottles, tealight holders, jars, and vases waiting for a new design and a new home.
• We have fabric paint for you to upcycle an old item of clothing, bring your own or we have unwanted t-shirts and bags available.
• Decorate leftover wall tiles.
• Use fabric scraps to make scent pouches.
• And much more.

Take action!

You may find taking positive action can be positive for your mental health and help you to make a difference:

• Take part in our Dear Earth letter-writing activity.
• Guidance on how to write a letter to your MP.
• Important petitions you can sign.
• Watch a variety of inspiring TED talks.

Join us!

• Thursday 7 March – 1:00 – 5:00 – Augustine House second floor StressLess area.
• Thursday 14 March – 1:00 – 5:00 – Augustine House second floor StressLess area.
• Wednesday 20 March 12:00 – 2:00 – The Student Union.
• Thursday 28 March – 1:00 – 5:00 – Augustine House second floor StressLess area.

Booking isn’t needed just turn up when it is best for you.

Sustainability resources

The second floor will have an eco hope themed display curated in collaboration with Harry Cooper from the Student Green Office. Discover amazing resources available from the library and beyond. There’s also an amazing selection of titles available in our sustainability collection. You’ll find it on the second floor of Augustine House near the top of the central stairs.

New in your digital library is a selection of e-books and audiobooks available through the Libby app curated in partnership with the Academy for Sustainable Futures. Discover some of the books featured in their regular book reviews on the Sustainability blog.

A constructive conversation about veganism with Jodie Calleja

Are you interested in veganism? Jodie has been vegan for 13 years and is currently completing their Ph.D. with CCCU on ‘Differential Discourses of British Veganism’. Jodie will be discussing some of the recent research that connects environmental citizenship to plant-based diets, touching on their own research. The talk will be 15 minutes, followed by 15 minutes for questions and constructive conversation. You can join Jodie on

• Wednesday 6 March 11:00 – 11:30 (Augustine House – AH 2.23)
• Thursday 14 March 14:00 – 14:30 (Augustine House – AH 2.23)

Interested in veganism, but unable to attend a talk? Each StressLess event will include a different opportunity to explore vegan options, from alternatives to cow’s milk to products that you never realised were already vegan!

Slow fashion fixes and patches workshop

This Stressless we will be fixing any light repairs to clothes you have and sharing some basic sewing skills to upcycle clothes. This could be to repair a threadbare section or small rips, cover a stain, add a patch or simply embroidering something decorative onto your clothes.

There’s no previous sewing experience necessary – although we’re more than happy to learn new tricks if you’ve got skills to share! We’ll be learning to sew together, with simple steps and a collaborative approach to eco-friendly slow fashion and recycling. Bring any clothes you might want to salvage, upcycle and embellish, or simply come along and make some patches from recycled scraps. 

Join us:

• Tuesday 12 March 15:00 – 17:00 – Second floor of Augustine House
• Wednesday 20 March 12:00 – 2:00 – The Student Union.

Nature walks with litter picking

Join members of the Academy for Sustainable Futures on the first Thursday of every month for a 45-minute nearby walk in nature. A chance to grab some fresh air, stretch your legs, and (optionally) chat about your climate hopes and anxieties in friendly company.

For March only, we’re switching away from our usual start location of Verena Holmes and instead meeting outside Augustine House as we’ll be heading over to the Dane John Gardens to do a litter pick in our local community! All materials are provided, and unlike many of our other nature walks, this event should be mostly on flat ground with good pathways, but if you’re a wheelchair user or struggle with slopes, please bear in mind we will have to go through one of the sloped underpasses to cross the ring-road on the way there and again on the way back.

Please arrive 5 mins early ready to leave promptly at 1pm, from the front of Augustine House, outside the library.

Book here

Climate Escape Room

Join us for a Climate Escape Room that the Academy for Sustainable Futures is running in collaboration with StressLess as part of a full month of  Eco-Hope activities and resources. 

Solve puzzles and riddles, learn about our planet, and find all the clues to uncover the truth about the climate emergency. In this escape room-style game, players learn the scientific causes and effects of climate change and try to save the world against the clock.

Spaces are limited so please book yours to avoid disappointment!

If you’re interested in booking a climate escape room for you and some friends at another time, we can accommodate up to six people per booking and are happy to work with you to find a date, time and place for an on-demand climate escape room. Just email us at sustainability@canterbury.ac.uk.

Eco-hope Competition

A photo competition will be running throughout March encouraging the student community to share photos that provide hope for the future.

These photos will become part of our Eco-Hope display on the second floor of Augustine House.

To enter, follow the link and submit your photo.

A winner will be selected at the end of the month and win a selection of sustainable, eco-friendly and upcycled goodies.

Don’t forget the refillable van and Veg Box Project!

Do you want to reduce plastic waste? Why not try refilling!

The Refillable Van is your local mobile zero-waste shop that comes directly to you on the last Thursday of every month – to Augustine House from 11.30am – 12.30pm and to Verena Holmes from 1 – 4pm.

Simply bring your empty bottles and containers and we will refill them for you with as much or as little as you need. Refillable produce includes washing up liquid, laundry detergent, fabric softener, hand soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, dry foods, herbs and spices and more, plus homeware and gift ideas.

Find out more

The Veg Box Project brings locally-grown, organic produce directly to staff and students at our Canterbury Campus every other week.

Get a local, organic, seasonal veg delivered directly to campus for you to collect every other Thursday across the semester.

Find out about collecting on the following dates:

• 14 March
• 28 March

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Featured image – “Happy Earth Day” by Man as Thep from Adobe Stock under Education Licence.