Green Machine on Campus

Following trials of different makes of electric vehicles, Environmental Services in HAS (Hospitality and Accommodation Services), purchased the “Green Machine” at the end of April and took delivery a month later. Our colleagues in Design and Publications came up with the attractive and striking graphics for the vehicle following working on a “green brief”, we certainly think it is eye catching!
Electric vehicles are a more efficient way of converting fossil fuels into mechanical energy. The Green Machine is charged overnight by plugging into a standard 13 amp power socket and takes advantage of the University’s own combined heat and power station, which produces both electricity and heat from natural gas. The vehicle has a range of over 40 miles and does not need to be charged every evening. And of course there are no emissions during the use of the vehicle.

(Taken directly from Environment and Sustainability Website)
http://www.environment.bham.ac.uk/news_stories/greenmachine.shtml

Obama or McCain: who would make the White House greener?

Who do you think is greener?

Find out what others think here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/20/network-usa

Why not come along to the Guild Election night Party and see how much influence its really had:

(Party said in the loosest of terms, perhaps a pillow would do you more good than a bottle of vodka)

American elections result party
Midnight 4th Novemeber - 6.30am

Tickets cost £5, food and drink may be provided.

Joe's Bar

Have you been following the race between John McCain & Barack Obama?Are you on the edge of your seat waiting to see who wins the election?Do you want to watch the result unfold with like minded people? This election is one of the most exciting in recent memory, with not only a close race, but the voting intentions of several states, such as Virginia and Colorado, hanging in the balance.The Guild of Students has an un-missable event designed just for you. Joe’s bar is opening its doors to all those who are keen to watch the result live. You can come along and cheer on your candidate.

Don’t delay buy your tickets today!If you want any more information or to get a ticket please contact Tom Marley t.marley@guild.bham.ac.uk

Plastic Bags, just say no!

This is part of an article taken off PlanetArk.com

http://www.planetark.com/campaignspage.cfm/newsid/7/story.htm

Plastic Bags - Just say "No!"
20 million Australians currently use around 5 billion plastic check-out bags every year.That so few people can use so much plastic says a lot about our wasteful habits.
A person's use of a plastic check-out bag can be counted in minutes - however long it takes to get groceries from the shops to their homes. These bags, however, can last for hundreds of years.
Combine the growing number of plastic bags used every year with the time it takes for them to break down and you have a major environmental problem.
Whether it's inadvertent or deliberate, plastic bag litter creates many problems. Bags get caught in fences and median strips. They end up blocking drains and trapping birds. When eaten they kill livestock.
At Bathurst's Mt Panorama race track, they even disable racing cars.
In the marine environment, plastic bag litter is lethal, killing thousands of whales, turtles and other sea life every year.

To find out more about plastic bags and their environmental affect just search google

here i have added a few websites that have some more basic information:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2007/nov/13/plasticbags.pollution

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-532233/Banish-bags-Darling-promises-new-law-2009-shops-act-themselves.html

http://www.recycle-more.co.uk/nav/page1976.aspx (for amusement)

Should we be following the trend and start charging for plastic bags in our retail outlets?

What do you think?

Vice President, Services and Environment : The planning can start

There has been a anme and remit change for the Residence associations 'Vice President, Serivces'

It now includes ................. 'and Environment'.

This position will go a long way in looking at, and reducing our student societies environmental impact and hopefully will be able to reove some of the barriers to positive environmental behaviour.


A few facts that are on the original motion, but you may want to read again:

• 
  On average, 507 kilograms of household waste was produced per
  person in the West Midlands in 2006-7
  http://www.sustainable-development.gov.uk/progress/regional/documents/west_midlands_factsheet.pdf


• 
  Recycling two glass bottles saves enough energy to boil water for five cups of tea.
  http://www.wasteonline.org.uk/topic.aspx
  
  
• Recycling just one plastic bottle can save the same amount of energy needed to power a 60 watt light bulb for 6 hours.
  
  
  
  I'm really excited about the amount we can achieve as a team.
  
  

If your a first year, living in halls of residents and what to know a bit more about what the role will entail and the fun you can have ;) im here to help.

Fly me to the mooon

After Guild Council decided changed the the flying policy for staff and officers from no flying apart from in emergency to as a 'last resort', we now get the fun job of deciding what makes up a 'last resort'. If you want to have your say, got an opinion or just want to comment, feel free to drop me a line.

If you want to know how this changes things for your student group, again contact me.

This will not mean the guild will suddenly fly around the world on 'buisness' or use flying as a 'normal' option. Checks and balances will be created in the relavent departments.