Sustainability ideas from the Northenden course

Integrating sustainability into the media production curriculum

These ideas came from David Hunt.

Media production offers so many opportunities to incorporate sustainability, since it encompasses fine production detail at one end of the scale and the political/social/economic issues associated with huge media corporations at the other end of the scale, and everything in between.

Thinking corporately

Media is often about mass production and consumption. To get students thinking about corporate media decisions and how they impact on sustainability issues. For example students could unpick a scene in a film and analyse its impact on the environment or look how a different approach to production values will have a different impact on sustainability issues (transport, catering, accommodation, environmental damage, disruption to communities etc)

Create your own scene

Picking up on the previous one: learners to create two approaches to the same scene (an ecologically good one and an ecologically bad one) and compare the effect of the two, then compare each with other, artistic considerations. There is always a creative price to pay, but there are ways round this.

Comparative corporate policies on the environment.

Investigate the environmental claims made by, eg Sky (“carbon neutral”), BBC (“social responsibility”) and see how far they are matched by reality.

Getting the sustainability message across

Use of media to get it across to different audiences without having the opposite effect to the one desired (eg nagging)

The Al Gore phenomenon

A case study on, eg the Al Gore phenomenon. The huge media fight that ensued, with statistics arguing for and against his point of view. What happens to fact and certainty? What effect does the media circus have on our attitude to the subject.

Creating an electronic learning environment

Feasibility of using an entirely electronic, paper-free approach to learning and assessment, including portfolio building.

Forming partnerships with local conservation and countryside management groups

These ideas came from Rob Birley and come from the Northenden perspective: Entry level learners on pre-vocational courses (programmes for students with Learning Difficulties and Disabilities)

Proposal is to form partnerships with local conservation and countryside management groups to provide opportunities for regular practically-based conservation activities for students (something like a weekly session for a term and a half starting after the spring half term.)

For the learners

  • a chance to do lots of quite physically demanding work with (unlike much horticulture work) pretty instant results, ie hedge laying, tree planting or removal, path building, fence construction, etc.
  • a chance to spend time outdoors on a regular basis: sessions should be all day, say 2 x 2hr work sessions plus an hour or so for lunch and a 30 minute feedback/ record keeping session
  • practical citizenship: making a real contribution to a community in a tangible rather than a purely theoretical way
  • a great vehicle for promoting generic or transferable work skills, team playing, working in a health and safety-conscious way, building concentration etc.
  • opportunities for the learners to work closely with non teaching professionals.

For the college

  • an opportunity to form partnerships with organisations which share the college’s green credentials.

Suggested partners for learners based at Northenden Campus

  • MerseyValley Warden Service

- advantage: local, Manchester/Trafford LA run, might allow a walk to site, or meet at site approach with the learners

- disadvantage: Organisation seems to be much more geared to working with primary age young people(outdoor classroom approach) and adult volunteers

  • BTCV(British Trust for Conservation Volunteers)

- advantage: has a south Manchester office. Focused on delivering practical conservation work in the local area. Does a lot of practical conservation work on behalf of the MVWS (see above)in and around the MerseyValley

- disadvantage might be ECM/Safeguarding issues working with existing groups(ie child protection). Student only groups might not be viable orfundable for the BTCV

  • National Trust

- advantage: has a commitment to reaching out to under represented groups, professional approach to H and S issues and generally well motivated, skill full ranger/wardens. Have a wide range of tasks which if well organised can be pre-selected.

- disadvantage: not actually within City of Manchester. Dunham Massey in Trafford, Styal CP and Alderley Edge, in Cheshire.

  • Moore Nature reserve Warrington

- advantage, small very varied site with a supportive and committed team of wardens. ------disadvantage: In Warrington. However is on the site of Arpley land fill, a major destination for Greater Manchester Waste,with a mini methane power station, opened byMichael Meacher when he was environment minister.

A past problem that could be solved by a high level agreement between college and environmental body

In the past there have been problems with providers (particularly MVWS) being disorganised or cancelling the session at the last minute. This caused some difficulty and ended our relationship with MVWS.Support from the seniorcollege management team to secure co-operation, build partnerships would be very useful.

Catering for learners with moderate difficulties and those with more profound difficulties

The “Pre-vocational”curriculum we offerto learners with Moderate Learning Difficulties (Preparation for Independence and Work – PFIW) allows us theflexibilityto offer a regular conservation session. This would not be possible for other courses but enrichment or tutorial sessions could be organised as one-offs once partnerships have been established.

As an alternative for learners with more profound difficulties some sort of involvement in college-based recycling activities through liaison with appropriate site managers/green champions could be instituted. A group could be given responsibility for “managing the waste” of a series of rooms, a floor of the college and possibly the whole college by offering a bin emptying andmonitoring service. This could involve some sort of recording and/or weighing the waste, replenishing bins, maintenance of the recycling area, production of signs and “adverts” encouraging other students and staff to recycle , etc.This would also foster meaningful integration by showing “disabled” students working in a positive proactive way for the collective college good.

Sustainable tourism

Alison Ghariani outlined the sustainable tourism module that is already being delivered to travel and tourism students. It covers a wide range of environmental and social issues and involves student research and value judgments.

She also outlined the housekeeping practices that she follows in her interaction with students

recycling

  • buying fair trade goods
  • switching off electrical appliances
  • more awareness of pollution and litter
  • impact of noise and activity on others
  • using companies with sustainability policies

Personal Page Check

Hamish Moffatt presented an paper audit plan that any member of staff or other individual could implement.

Slide 1

Facts about a sheet of paper:

  1. How much does it cost?
  2. What is the mass of a piece of paper?

What is the effect of the mass of paper on?

Carrying it.

The floorboards supporting it.

  1. What are the fire hazards of a piece of paper?
  2. How much does a kg of paper cost?

Slide 2

Personal Check(Audit)

  1. How many sheets do I have in my bag?
  2. How many of these sheets has important information on them?
  3. How many of these sheets can be shredded?
  4. How many of these sheets can be recycled?
  1. How many of these sheets should be filed?

Slide 3

Carrying out the Personal Check

  1. Set SMART targets including

Which source of paper should I attend to first?

Which collection of papers should I attend to first?

Slide 4

Action Plan

Decide on priorities for papers to be shredded, recycled and filed.

Sustainability in the land-based studies curriculum

Jack Buxton (apprentice with estates staff) and Peter McKenzie presented three sets of ideas

  • a set of ppt slide to get the message across to students
  • sustainability practices already integrated into the land-based studies curriculum and delivery practice, and ideas for extending these
  • measures that we can all take to improve the college’s sustainability practice

Practices that are integrated into the land-based studies curriculum and delivery practice, and ideas for extending these

What do we do now and the students experience in LBS

–Reduce, Reuse, And Recycle.

–Make leaf mould and compost on site – reduces landfill, transport and recycles plant nutrients.

–Reduced use of fertiliser.

–Planting trees – carbon capture.

–Reduce energy use – switch off electrical goods.

–Biodiversity - areas of semi-natural vegetation around the college perimeter.

–Reduced peat use!

–Use of peat blends, peat/bark

–Homemade compost and leaf mould used in grounds

Peat

Agriculture and forestry destroy peat when fields are drained. Peat is also burned in power stations. Also Humus is lost from agricultural land by oxidation following ploughing and cultivation – no digging methods of cultivation reduce this.

Future – Horticulture generally.

Organic/vegetable wastes: as a feed-stock for AD (anaerobic digestion) to produce fuel – methane and carbon monoxide – water for reuse – nutrients to recycle and carbon dioxide for glasshouse atmosphere enrichment. For example – a glasshouse grower producing tomatoes in Alderley Edge Cheshire.

Measures that we can all take to improve the college’s sustainability practice

•Recycle your plastic bags (or use the reusable bags), aluminium, and water bottles.

•Switch your water mode- if you are going to be away from your house for a while, switch your water heater to "vacation or away" mode. It keeps your water warm but, will not use the energy it takes to keep a full-tank of boiling water.

•Make time for errands- instead of leaving where you need to go right home run some errands while your already in the area. It saves gas and it causes less pollution to the environment.

•Consider using your bike, feet, or mass transportation for most transportation needs

•Consider purchasing a Hybrid vehicle, an Electric Motorbike or more efficient car.

•Purchase radial tires and keep them properly inflated

•Drive during non-peak hours. If you avoid heavy traffic you will not spend a significant amount of gas during stops.

•Don't Warm it Up The best way to warm up a modern car is to drive it. Idling hurts engines, wastes gas, and contributes to global warming and pollution.

•Try Trains If you go on holiday opt for a country nearby and don't use the plane but travel by train. Flying with a plane a distance of 2.2 km or 1.375 miles would add 1 kg of CO2 to your personal carbon footprint.

•Reduce the need to copy and print. When you need to, copy and print on both sides of the paper

•Reuse items like envelopes, folders, and paper clips

•Set up a bulletin board for memos' rather than sending copies to each employee

•Use recycled paper and recycle printer cartridges

•Use Soy based ink which is very environmentally friendly.

•Use more reusable water bottles rather than disposable cups.

•'Turn off 'power strips and lights at the end of the day.

•Shutdown the computer before leaving your workstation at the end of the day

Sustainability in the Business, IT and Digital curriculum

Matthew Horrocks presented two sets of ideas

–integrating sustainability into the business, IT and digital curriculum

–improving management and housekeeping practices within the department

1. Integrating sustainability into the business, IT and digital curriculum

The Present

Sustainability is not discussed as a topic within the department and is not a major focus in the curriculum and within the college classrooms.

Sustainability is under the green label and is currently mentioned in tutorials as green issues and rarely within the core curriculum given focus from the curriculum boards.Depending on course chosen there can be odd units with a minimum requirement covering green issues. This unit is generally optional and in the lower levels – Entry 3 and Level 1. At level 2 and level 3 time demands are very tight to fit the current core curriculum in. It would be better to fit sustainability as a wider activity.

There is no sustainability qualification that exists within the department.

The Future

The curriculum could integrate sustainability by

  • a themed week and have workshops and speakers covering sustainability requirements
  • have sustainability fitted into wider curriculum such as functional skills, Personal Social Development (PSD), PEARL, IOLP etc
  • lesson plans with sustainability box to remind teacher to have computers closed down and to think about sustainability within the classroom
  • have work submitted electronically instead of paper based. – This depends on curriculum board and inspectors requirements.

2. Improving college practice

Working within the college in a variety of locations the classrooms are very mixed with equipment and sustainability resources. Some rooms have air con due to windows that can not be opened. Some rooms have recycle paper bins but fail to work by not being picked up or paper placed in the wrong bin by students or staff. I have even see cleaners empty recycled rubbish into the current bins. There is a lack of signs to remind students to recycle and reuse.

Also some members of staff fail to remind students to switch computers off at the end of the day leaving computers on over the evening and weekends.

The college could improve its practices in terms of sustainability by

  • adding it to the college polices and enrolment.
  • using signs and reminders to staff and students to follow sustainability
  • creating a small course which covers sustainability
  • recycling resources as much as possible.
  • ensuring paper bins are in EVERY room and ARE recycled
  • ILP and folders to be electronic and recyclable
  • more online services
  • enrichment to have sustainability included. – eg Film - Age of Stupid
  • advertisement – Do your bit. Are you doing your bit?

What’s in it for staff?

  • better resources
  • knowledge on sustainability
  • helping others and the environment
  • being role models

What’s in it for learners?

  • knowledge on sustainability
  • helping others and the environment
  • extra qualification could help for a future job or role
  • respect resources and consider sustainability with their coursework and home life
  • being role models

What’s in it for employers?

  • students with sustainability knowledge to improve the business and would think to save current resources wisely.
  • send current employees to a quick course on sustainability and business.
  • sustainability qualification logo and rating to match sustainability grading.

Obstacles

  • Cost
  • Resources
  • Time
  • Management
  • Curriculum
  • Building / Rooms
  • Current Procedures & Laws
  • Lack of knowledge

Sustainability in the Business Curriculum

Paul McConaghie presented two sets of idea

  • ways that sustainability can be integrated more into the business curriculum
  • ideas for improving management and housekeeping practices within the department

1. Integrating sustainability into the business curriculum

Tutorials can be used to focus on sustainability and to get the students engaged on actively making a difference. This can be done by linking learning to issues of direct concern to them, such as how a lack of sustainability may affect the quality of their life and the well being of communities and the environment around them.

There could be a themed week within the college surrounding sustainability, looking at what we can do to help the issue. This could be done through sessions on

  • explaining the implications of lifestyle on the environment
  • showing how past actions and choices have had an effect on the environment and so on the quality of people’s lives
  • showing how students can become citizens who make a contribution to the future well being of the planet

2. Wider college issues on sustainability

Tutorial folders: tutors feel that they are a waste of material and space for the collegeand that they can be re-used on a yearly basis with the information just needed to be taken from them

more training on the moodle