The ethical and environmental team at NUS is being kept busy helping run a number of exciting environmental programmes in SUs around the country. Please read on to find a snap shot of what has been happening in the sector!

1) With 102 students’ unions signed up to NUS’s flagship Green Impact Students’ Unions programme, this looks like the biggest year yet for environmental change in the sector! 18 unions have taken advantage of our brand new non-commercial workbook, out of which 8 are FE unions. We have some fantastic sponsors this year for our special awards including The Co-operative, Slow Food, The Ecologist, and Molson Coors. This year’s programme opened in September, and unions have time until 19 December 2011 to work through their workbooks. If you would like some more information please email Joanna on Joanna.romanowicz@nus.org.uk

2) The Fresher Freshers Unions are well under way with their campus garden plans for this academic year. With exciting projects such as permaculture flower beds, partnerships with the local children's day centre, and mass-fruit picking, the unions have been using their funding, donated by Homebase, to create relaxing growing spaces for their students, staff and local communities to socialise and learn.

For more information on the Fresher Freshers project or for some ideas on how to start your own campus garden at your union, please contact Charlotte on charlotte.taylor@nus.org.uk,

3) Another great project that the NUS is running: Snap it Off is the best way to stop energy bandits on or off campus! Just snap a photo of lights left on unnecessarily, enter our photo competition at http://snapitoff.nus.org.uk/latest/, and be entered to win an mp3 player. Help reduce energy waste!

4) NUS Services also offers an exciting research package, designed to aid universities and unions an insight into the environmental attitudes and behaviours of students and staff and to help universities to understand their carbon emissions and work towards reducing them including feedback on the impact of existing projects and schemes. If you would like more information on the package, including how to sign up in 2012 please contact Rachel Drayson, Environmental Researcher at rachel.drayson@nus.org.uk or visit our website.

If you want to get our latest E&E news sign up to our E&E mailing list by emailing greenimpactunions@nussl.co.uk.