Overview of the week

Held over the 25th-31st October 2010, Big Green Week (BGW) was full of thought provoking, interactive and enjoyable features which launched the University's commitment to carbon reduction.

One of the main exhibits, on view at the heart of the campus, was the Carbon

Cube, the first UK life-sized depiction of a tonne of carbon dioxide, which at 599.48m3, was larger than the average house.

The average carbon footprint per person in the UK is 10.92 tonnes of carbon dioxide whilst the University emits the equivalent of over 30,000 tonnes every year. The need to reduce carbon by 60% over the next 10 years was the key message for the week. Students and staff were asked to commit to this vision as well as play their part in making it a reality.

During the week, staff, students and visitors were encouraged to calculate their own carbon footprint and relate it to the Cube to comprehend just how much their lifestyle has an effect on the environment.

Each day of the week had a different theme including, Monday 'use less energy', Tuesday 'eat sustainably', Wednesday 'travel sustainably', Thursday 'recycle more' and Friday 'get involved'. Throughout the week events and activities such as a Climate Change debate, cooking demonstration, seed planting, Big Switch Off, a variety of themed eco fayres and the Hard Rain exhibition populated the campus.  See the programme and photographs from the event here.

The week culminated on Friday with the Big Green Statement on the park where over 500 people spelt out the University's carbon commitment on Victoria Park, including local councilors and Professor Sir Bob Burgess.

A full review of the event and further articles about Big Green Week will be online soon.