UQ awards its best greenies

Staff at The University of Queensland are embracing the green office culture, with 87 volunteers promoting environmental practices and awareness across all four campuses.

Vice-Chancellor Professor Paul Greenfield presented awards to representatives from UQ’s “greenest” areas at an event to mark World Environment Day this morning.

The School of Social Science took out the award for most improved area, while the Examinations section was recognised as best newcomer to the Green Office Program.

“You’ve got to look out for the environment because it looks out for you,” said Bridget Waugh, green office representative at the School of Social Science.

“Our school really needed to cut back on energy use and paper – we were going through a lot of paper,” Ms Waugh said.

The Green Office Program, established in 2006, is an initiative where UQ staff promote good environmental practices in their work area.

The program operates through a network of green office representatives in UQ schools, centres and administrative units and is run by Environmental Services in the Property and Facilities Division.

Environmental coordinator Kay Ollett said staff were clearly passionate about the program, with 87 representatives from 77 areas now registered.

Each area has a baseline or annual assessment covering recycling, energy usage and purchasing practices, as well as general environmental awareness.

Ms Waugh used posters and a weekly e-newsletter to spread the green message in the School of Social Science, which improved its score by 21 percent.

Recycled paper, envelopes and manila folders, and biodegradable pens and pencils are now the norm in her area.

She said her colleagues were enthusiastic about being more environmentally friendly. Most people were happy to switch off their computers at night, turn off lights and use scrap paper where possible.

Green office representative Jane Fisher accepted the best new area award on behalf of the Examinations section, which achieved a baseline assessment score of 80 percent.

To find out more about the program, please visit the UQ Sustainability website.

Media: Kay Ollett (07 3365 2076, k.ollett@pf.uq.edu.au) or Penny Robinson at UQ Communications (07 3365 9723, penny.robinson@uq.edu.au)