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Green Summer University

Summer University with a Green theme (GSU)

The idea of a Green Summer University (GSU) is to link the cultural experience and fun of a summer university with environmental aspects and a sense of responsibility of the impact which everybody causes.

Therefore a GSU has 2 main elements:
(1) to minimize the ecological impact of the SU
(Opportunities: prefer more environmental friendly means of transport (walking -> cycling -> trains -> buses -> cars -> planes), use reusable dishes, recycle materials, take local food, etc.)

(2) to raise awareness on environmental issues, such as environmental protection, nature conservation or sustainable development.
(Opportunities: visit natural areas and introduce their importance, organise workshops or talks about environmental topics, show documentaries, visit ecofarms or environmental education centres, etc.)

You can decide how green you want to be by reaching both or one of these aims.

Organising a GSU

Why should you organise Green Summer University?

• because it can help you to get funding!
• because sustainability starts from our everyday habits!
• because big changes begin with small things – you can make a difference!
• because it can be funny!
• because it can even help you save money!

If you want more information or advice on GSUs, we will be happy to help you. Mail to EnWG enwg.aegee@gmail.com or SUCT suct@aegee.org
In the following, you find a list of concrete actions which you can take to have a smaller ecological impact and to have activities related to environment and sustainability in your GSU.

You can minimize the ecological impact in many areas during and even before the real start of the GSU, some ideas:

Travelling
• promote other means of transport besides flying to participants:
• for example - http://www.b-rail.be/int/E/
• promote the opportunity to offset the flying impact:
• for example - http://www.myclimate.org/index.php?lang=en&m=offers
• try to minimize the flying impact yourself - cooperate with some local environmental NGO for tree planting:
• offer participants possibility to pay small amount that will be invested in planting trees
• organise tree planting activity during the SU

Dishes
• instead of buying one-use plastic dishes, buy some re-usable plastic ones for your antenna, that can be used in every event and in the end saves you money. Ask participants to bring their own fork and knife.
• after dinner, you can put tiles of water with soap and clean water, so the participants can quickly wash their plate themselves, so you don't need extra organisers to do that and everything gets done in 15 minutes. Or you give the last people who wake up the task of the washing up... this may make easier the task of waking up people.
• if you do use plastic cups, let people write their name on it, so they can use the same one the whole night; keep the leftovers away, so people search for their cup first, instead of just taking a next one.

General
• instead of a T-shirt give participants:
• bag made of textile fabric with the logo of the SU (also other materials can be put nicely in that) – use natural fabrics like linen and cotton
• their own cup to be used during the SU
• when buying food for participants, try to prefer local (reduce the transportation waste of energy) and unpacked products (less amount of materials to be recycled)
• in some countries, you can get money for recycling plastic or glass bottles, this can give small input to your budget ;)
• ask food from supermarkets, that is actually fresh (like bakery products), but they cannot sell and have to throw away. Sometimes you can get this food for reduced prices or even for free.
• You have some leftover things after SU (forgotten clothes of the participants, etc), don’t throw them away, but give to second hand shops. Also leftover food can be given to homeless people centers.
• In order to promote water saving, you could make „shower rule” – fix time that everyone has to take a shower (eg 15 min). You could turn it also into competition – the ones who are keeping the rule most, get prizes, etc.

Another way for a GSU is to include activities connected to environmental protection and sustainable development. Here are some ideas for that:

Environmental activities during SU
• workshops how to make things yourself, instead of buying (paint your own T-shirt, design a drinking cup or plate, sew bag from old jeans etc)
• hikes and trips into natural areas together with a talk or lecture about behaviour in nature, ecotourism, endangered species in that area, etc (there are always people who can make the subject interesting and not just give you boring facts)
• make your European Night Ecological – ask participants bring at least one organic, biological product from their country (you can promote more environmental food production in that way)
• If you happen to have good weather, you can try to have the workshops in open air, then you will save on electricity for lighting. Try to get some area with grass and trees, so people can get shade or sun depending on what they prefer. Workshops can be also made on the beach.

*You could also combine the first (reducing ecological impact) and second part (environmental activities) by for example making workshop about recycling, energy and water saving and ask participants to implement it during the SU.

*All these activities can be also presented in a form of a game – give plus points to those, who respect them and minus points to those who don’t.

NB! In many countries, having talks and workshops connected to environmental issues can attract sponsors and help find funding (e.g. offering some organic food can attract foundation interested in promoting organic farming).