Greener campus project to help plastics in the oceans charity

A CHARITY fundraiser to clean up an un-adopted beach in East Yorkshire has gained the support of the broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough and was the brainchild of a student from the University of Huddersfield.

Sam Tate, aged 29-years-old, is currently in the midst of studying for a BSc(Hons) in Biomedicine in the School of Applied Sciences and is also co-president of the University’s Bioscience Society.

Sam, who lives in Huddersfield, will be taking a group of students to clean up Easington Beach at the end of March, one of the few beaches not actively protected in the East Riding of Yorkshire.

The fundraiser – of which monies raised will be going to the Plastic Oceans charity – will be taking place in early 2019 and is just one of the ideas Sam will have completed for the Inspiring Future Leaders programme, overseen by the Huddersfield Students’ Union.

The 12-month scheme recruits enthusiastic and passionate students, who want to become skilled leaders of the future, to deliver a project alongside their academic studies.  The role is paid and the students who take part are supported throughout and offered training.

From the ten projects on offer, Sam chose three he feels passionate about.  One of which was centred around the title Greener Campus.  Sam has always had a keen interest in the environment and worked for a few years with an environmental waste management company before returning to education as a mature student.

Sam has been gathering information from staff and students on whether they think the University’s campus is environmentally-friendly and the areas it could improve upon.  

Current statistics from the questionnaire said that 64 per cent agree that the University cares about the environment, but that 36 per cent still think it could do more in adopting ‘greener’ policies.

Sam explained that with all of the recent media interest around the amount of plastic in the oceans, the Easington Beach clean-up was the ideal venture to raise awareness of the environment among Huddersfield students.

“Students are increasingly aware of environmental issues,” said Sam, “but, here in Huddersfield, they don’t necessarily have an outlet.  If we give them one, especially one as high-profile as cleaning up plastics from the ocean, the issue is made more tangible.”

Sam is hoping that by making people more aware of environmental issues, his Greener Campus project will result in a fundraiser being organised every year.  “Of course the best possible outcome is to raise money for the charity, but I also hope there will be a lasting legacy of raising awareness of the environment among students and staff at the University,” he said.

Broadcaster and natural historian Sir David Attenborough heard about the event after Sam and his co-president Isabel Gatenby invited him to the University to deliver a speech regarding his work in ecology and the environment.

Unfortunately, Sir David's schedule is arranged well in advance and is unable to attend, but the broadcaster and naturalist confirmed his support for the fundraiser.  He also welcomed the new degrees in Geography that will be taught by the University’s School of Applied Sciences.

As the Inspiring Future Leader post draws to a close Sam will demonstrate the need for a sustainable vegetarian and vegan campus café and will be working hard to convince the University to adopt a strategy of encouraging students to refill, reuse and recycle plastic bottles.  By no longer selling bottled water, and instead increasing the amount of water stations on campus, students will be able to freely refill their own water bottles brought in from home.

• Huddersfield students wishing to complete the Greener Campus questionnaire can find it online.