#Greenweek2022 in DCU
Dublin City University has achieved An Taisce Green Campus Certification for all of its academic campuses. Green Week is an opportunity to highlight the achievement not only of our Green Flag status, but also our commitment as a university to demonstrate leadership in tackling the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency. Our DCU Climate Action Plan highlights the scale of the challenge and the actions we are taking but more action will be needed.
This week DCU is seeking to raise awareness and discussion and to hear your voice. Universities around Ireland have come together to organise and promote events across Green Week with cross campus engagement strongly encouraged.
Events
All week
Climate Action and Biodiversity Emergency Action Board
The DCU Climate Action Plan demonstrates our leadership and commitment to address the Climate and Biodiversity Emergency. Our Climate Action Plan identifies Science Based Targets for greenhouse gas emission reductions across all of our campus activities. It also calls out the enormous challenge in meeting these targets. The plan contains an initial set of actions that are currently being worked on across the university but we will need many more such actions. According to the Irish Climate Advisory Council we will need transformational change to meet the challenge.
As part of Green Week we would like to hear your voice - your concerns and your suggestions. We have set up a virtual board and are also putting up some physical boards on each of the campuses - GLA - on the Street, U Building, SPA - Java Cafe and AHC - Main Restaurant.
Zero miles greens at DCU
Throughout Green Week the DCU Restaurant on the Glasnevin campus will be serving produce grown in DCU's Community Garden. One of the easiest ways to ensure we are eating sustainably is by eating what is grown locally. The DCU Community Garden growers, The Gardens Gnomes and the Grow Dome Project, will be providing the restaurant with 'microgreens'. Microgreens can contain up to 40 times the nutritional content of their mature counterparts.
In addition to serving DCU grown produce, the restaurant on the Glasnevin campus will also be displaying a Carbon Rating on the options available on the menu all week. Keep an eye out for these ratings on the menu during Green Week.
Monday
Sustainable Market
The DCU SU are organising a Sustainable Market with several vendors of sustainable / reusable products. The Market will be at the Street of the U building on the Glasnevin Campus on Monday from 10.00 - 15.00.
Where: The Street in the U
When: 10.00 - 15.00
Tuesday
Swap Shop
The DCU Sustainable Living Society will run their weekly Swap Shop in the Student U on Tuesday to tackle the ever growing impact of fast fashion and consumerism. The Swap Shop allows students to trade their unwanted clothes for 'new' ones - a great way to reduce the environmental impact of fast fashion.
Where: The Hive in the U
When: 12:00 - 14:30
Wednesday
Reducing single use plastics
Wednesday is 'Bring Your Own Reusable Cup' Day and to encourage people to switch from disposable cups in favour of the more sustainable option, coffee and tea will be available for €1 to anyone bringing their own cup. This will be available in the main restaurant, The Helix café and Londis on the Glasnevin campus and across the St. Patrick's Campus.
Thursday
Activism workshop with Extinction Rebellion
Activism and advocacy are important skills for any environmentalist. Mobilising the public and raising awareness to the threats of climate change are a way in which people can have their voice heard and demand systemic change. And we are delighted to be hosting two activists who have been there and worn the (thrifted) t-shirt. Eoin Campbell and Sue Breen were members of the Irish arm of the global direct action movement Extinction Rebellion, whose aim was to "persuade governments to act justly on the climate and ecological emergency".
Eoin and Sue will be hosting a 90 minute workshop in which they will give an overview of their involvement with the Extinction Rebellion movement and describe what is involved with such activism efforts.
Where: Solas Room in the U and Zoom (Register here)
When: 15.00 - 16.30
Decarbonisation talk
Dr Hannah Daly, who will be giving an open talk on Thursday from UCC. Dr Daly is a lecturer in Sustainable Energy and Energy Systems Modelling at University College Cork. She has worked with UCL and the International Energy Agency, and has published dozens of academic papers and reports.
This event is being hosted by UCC.
Where: Microsoft Teams (join here)
When: 13.10
Friday
Rewilding DCU
We will be hosting three separate gatherings on the Glasnevin, St. Patrick's and All Hallows campuses to scatter 'Wildflower Native Seed Bombs' in designated areas to make a contribution to improving Ireland's nature and biodiversity. If you want to help please come along and help, there are over 1,000 seed bombs to be scattered.
Where and when: GLA : Main entrance to Library - 14.00, SPC Main entrance to Library - 12.00, AHC Outside Drumcondra House - 12.30