A sustainable start for your association
Study associations take a large part of students' lives outside of their regular studies. Being active in an association helps make most of the university life and pushes the campus forward in its growth. But how does it all get organised? Is it done at the level of the UT high standards?
The operation of virtually any association is always associated with lots of activities and large events. However, living in Europe in the 21st century does not allow us to disregard the impact of our actions on climate. It is especially relevant for associations since they actively engage dozens of people in one place, which puts the footprint on a massive scale. The board members conscious of their actions often face a choice between making the activity more sustainable or less convenient for participants/ more expensive.
In this guide, we, Green Hub, collected best practices for operating a students’ association that allow decreasing the environmental footprint and at the same time sacrifice as little fun as possible! The guide consists of 8 sections (Communication, Energy, Water, Waste, Food&Drinks, Travel&Mobility, Biodiversity, Finance) that all describe the attributes of a more sustainable operation of the association.
Furthermore, if you wish to organise an event as an association, check the similar guide on the practical tips for event arrangements here. We also encourage you to use the Green Certificate for designing, evaluating, and getting recognition for your event (follow the link above).
Energy saving practices by and for UT student associations
UT's Young Professionals (academic trainees) explored best practices for student associations with their own buildings, focusing on ways to enhance sustainability. Through discussions with association boards and UT staff, they identified opportunities for improvement and collaboration. While many associations are already making progress, there is still room for behavioral changes and structural improvements. To support these efforts, a poster has been created, summarizing key best practices for making student association buildings more sustainable. This resource, in addition to their research report (in Dutch) is now available for all student and study associations below.
