Global Dialogues: Sustainable Campuses & Communities

31/01/2023

ENLIGHT- Global Dialogues Event 2023!!

Session 1- January 31st at 18:00 (GMT)

Session 2- February 4th at 10:00 (GMT)

Session 3 - February 7th at 18:00 (GMT)

During these three sessions in January and February student organisations from across the world share their experiences in projects promoting sustainability in their community or campus. In each session four student organisations will present their projects followed by a joint discussion on student engagement, creating projects and impact.

Session 1 includes our University of Galway Environmental Awarness and Sustinability Officer:

Malena Thren Project: Glassary Initiative

Malena's going to be speaking at Session 1 about the Glassary Inititiave that University of Galway students' implemented. 

The Glassary initiative works by connecting the campus accommodation centres with bi-annual volunteer donation events to allow students an avenue to avoid landfill and instead give a second life to a wide range of materials. Items are donated to local charities or made available for students. The aim of this project is to provide students with access to a sustainable repository from which to access a range of household items, collected and reused after they are left behind by departing international students, for a circle economy. Student Accommodation and Opportunities for the Circle Economy. Glassary is Irish Language for” Glas” meaning green and a play on the English term glossary meaning list of terms. Glassary is the big green list!

Session 2 includes University of Galway's Energy Society:

The Energy Society's Project: Galway Environmental Festival

The Galway Environmental Festival put on display local organizations, students, outreach groups, researchers, companies, and communities doing excellent work with renewable energy, climate policy, sustainability, environmental protection, and water and air quality from the University of Galway and Galway City. The event was also promoted as part of the Galway National Park City initiative of which the Energy Society is part of. The aim was to allow for groups to display the work that they have done addressing energy challenges for the general public, to show the public that change and progress are being made, and to inform the public of the issue we still face and what they themselves can do. It is often the case (as we have been told by several environmental activism and advocacy groups) that organizations and researchers are doing a lot of work to address energy problems and derive and implement greener solutions, but that it is difficult to effectively communicate these accomplishments with the public. Multiple groups themselves have asked us to help them broadcast the information regarding their work more effectively. It is also an effect of this situation that the public sometimes feels discouraged and as though nothing is being done. Therefore, having a way to display all of the great work that is being done by energy groups will serve as a way for the groups to share their accomplishments and give the public hope that change is being made.

Session 3 includes includes University of Galway's Students' Union (SU):

Students'Union Project : Wasted Week

A week-long campaign addressing "Waste" as a topic of interest selected by the SU Climate Crew as high priority in Student life here in Ireland, Waste. It has been brought to the Students’ Union attention waste segregation into recycling and general bins facilities around campus is not adhered to. As students, we felt that as a community, we can do better in keeping Galway clean. Students make up one-fourth of Galway city’s population. If they were to adhere to Waste segregation and stopped littering streets, it would greatly improve the city’s image and how students are seen in the public eye. Often, students are seen as troublemakers and we want to change that image to a more positive one. Students should be the ones driving the change towards a more sustainable Galway. These issues were addressed over the week in nine in-person and four online events from Monday, 7th Nov. 2022 to Friday 11th 2022 with overall attendance of ~400 students and engaging with seven other community groups around the city. 150 compostable bins were given out to students and over 40 students got their bikes fixed for free. The campaign was a huge success and since it ran, many more events have followed. We are extending the campaign from one week to the whole next semester, involving even more stakeholders. As a Students’ Union, we are very proud of the change achieved and of the students to engage.