Sustainability.

What does that word mean to you? 

To me it means ensuring that i take steps now to ensure that my future is viable and realistically attainable. That could mean something small like putting plastic bottles in the recycling to looking at new ways to complete tasks that have as little impact on the environment as possible. 

At the start of this academic year, and at the start of my position as one of four members of Student Green Office I’d like to introduce myself. 

I’m Amy Bayliss-Fox, 21 years old and currently a 2nd year student on Counselling, Coaching and Mentoring. In my free time I attend The Salvation Army and volunteer in many of the activities there. I am a helper at Messy Church where we encourage children to learn in a creative way, getting messy is the best way to learn I feel – get stuck in! I also play in the brass band, you may have seen us up by Costa on the Kings’ Mile on a Sunday afternoon. I also help to tutor children in playing brass instruments through their ‘First things First’ programme. 

So what does that have to do with sustainability? 

One of the UN’s sustainability goals is Quality Education and I believe that this encourages us to become more sustainable for ourselves and others. 

In my role within the SGO I will be working towards the university’s three core sustainability aims: ‘ Living Well, Acting Together, Learning for the Future’, mainly looking at #livingwell. I want to encourage us as a community of students to look forward to the future and the wider community we live in. Whether this be encouraging inter-societal events or campaigns regarding important issues that relate to sustainability. 

Living well, to me, means having mine and others best interest in mind. The steps I’ve taken in the past to fill this was taking the time to learn to cook before I moved to university. I’m not going to sit here and call myself a chef but just being able to cook yourself a full meal that can make you feel accomplished. By learning to cook you don’t just get to make food that you know where it came from, it can cut down on food waste by only making what you are going to eat. 

Living well could also mean looking at ways to improve your health and wellness. Including mental health in this as well, mindfulness is, in my opinion, an important part of self-sustainability. 

Most of all I want to hear from you!

What does sustainability mean to you?

Feel free to message us on Twitter (@CCCUSCN) and Instagram (@CCCUSustainability) and let us know!