Green Impact

Get involved

Joining the Green Impact team at BSMS is a fantastic opportunity to connect with colleagues from across the medical school who you may not typically collaborate with, take the lead on initiatives beyond your usual role, and develop valuable new skills.

The team welcomes everyone and anyone who is passionate about sustainability and eager to contribute to creating a meaningful positive impact at BSMS.

To streamline efforts, the team is currently organised into three working groups: labs, academic, and general/professional services. These groups are designed to logically divide tasks and are not restricted to staff from these specific areas; they simply serve as mechanisms to ensure the work is completed effectively.

The next Green Impact meeting will be held in February 2025. If you’re interested in joining the team, please contact j.kneller@bsms.ac.uk to be added to the Teams channel.

The submission deadline is 27 March 2025, and we’re moving full speed ahead to meet it!

Energy saving tips

The impact of climate change on public health is threatening to reverse decades of progress. As an organisation dedicated to improving individual and population health through medical education and healthcare research, we have a responsibility to acknowledge the risks posed by the climate emergency and to respond decisively. Below are some energy-saving tips to help you reduce energy consumption and adopt more sustainable practices in your daily life:

• Switch things off – Turn off plugs and lights when not in use and make use of natural daylight as much as possible. Ensure devices are fully switched off and not left on standby.
• Reserve your battery – Close unnecessary tabs and programs, avoid overheating your devices, and let your laptop battery run down before recharging.
• Connect to WiFi – Wherever possible, connect to WiFi instead of using mobile data to reduce energy consumption significantly.
• Reduce your digital footprint – Avoid sending unnecessary emails, delete unwanted emails or photos, and remove duplicates or outdated files.
• Turn down your thermostat – Lowering your thermostat by even 2°C can make a big difference.
• Minimise the impact of food and drink – Try bulk cooking, set your fridge/freezer to appropriate temperatures, and ensure they’re properly sealed to avoid extra energy use.
• Make sustainable choices – Opt for stairs instead of lifts, use a refillable water bottle, and take advantage of campus drinking water points rather than buying bottled water.
• Reduce disposable items in the home – Cut back on single-use items by choosing reusable alternatives, such as cloth towels, glass containers, or reusable tote bags instead of plastic.

We’d love to hear your ideas too! If you have any energy-saving tips, email us at comms@bsms.ac.uk and we’ll share some of your suggestions.