As you probably know by now, here at Huskup, we are really passionate about living as sustainably as possible, mostly because we don’t stop going on about it! We whole-heartedly believe that making small changes can have a huge impact on climate change. And, a big part of this change can happen through education and empowering young people to make a difference.
That’s why we’re celebrating the schools, universities, and different initiatives doing their bit to go green and the young people that are vital to this.
Organizations Empowering Young People
There are some great charities and initiatives out there working to empower young people to make their educational spaces greener. A couple of our favourites are Plastic Free Schools and Eco Schools.
Plastic Free Schools is an initiative that is part of Surfers Against Sewage. A pupil-led programme, they work to equip young activists with everything they need to make lasting, positive changes to the environment. Their hope is to eradicate the avoidable single-use plastics in schools and help both the kids and staff to create good habits.
Eco Schools is part of Keep Britain Tidy. Their 7-step framework is flexible enough that it can be used in any educational setting for any age group and all actions are pupil-led.
This means that everyone can get involved and really feel empowered to make lasting environmental changes for the better. Once all of the 7 steps have been achieved the school, college or nursery can apply for an Eco-Schools Green Flag in recognition of the changes that have been made. A great way to show the local community the changes and new habits your school is creating!
There are also the Green Gown Awards, which recognise colleges and universities that have undertaken exceptional sustainability initiatives across the country. These awards have now gone international since their success in the UK and Ireland. And as more colleges and universities commit to going green we’re sure these awards will continue to grow!
These initiatives aren’t the only way educational establishments are able to make big changes, some are creating their own action plans to help halt the use of single-use plastics. Individual commitment is just as important as the support the above initiatives can give.
Further Education
Just down the road from us here in Bath, University of Bristol have created their own Plastic Action Plan which is committed to reducing and even eliminating their plastic footprint throughout the university. This plan sets out manageable and achievable changes allowing the university to make solid commitments that work long-term.
As of 2019 they have banned the sale of plastic water bottles in their Source cafes and introduced our lovely Huskups as a plastic-free alternative to disposable coffee cups. They have also committed to getting rid of other single-use plastics too like straws, takeaway containers, and condiment sachets.
Some Huskups are also being given to students as part of their welcome pack when they move into residential halls. We love that our cups can be a part of a greener educational environment!
They aren’t the only university we’ve been working with. We recently collaborated with the University of Derby on a competition they held for students to design a Huskup for the university. The winning design is in production now ready for the start of the new academic year.
We also have a long list of other universities and schools around the UK that stock their own branded Huskups. This makes it easier for students and staff alike to reduce their single-use plastic consumption and means fewer coffee cups in landfills or the ocean.
A Greener Future For ALL
As Whitney Houston once said, “the children are our future” and this really is true, the future is theirs and so is the planet. It’s important that we make sure they have a bright and healthy future environment to step into. As adults, there’s a lot we can do but it’s also really vital that we give children and young people the tools and confidence to make a strong and healthy world for themselves. The best way to do this is through education and supporting them to take actions they feel are appropriate to improve the environment and mitigate climate change. When young people feel empowered and capable they are able to do great things, and right now, this planet needs great things.
We love working with green schools and universities to help eliminate single-use plastics whilst empowering young people. If you think your school or university could benefit from cups and cutlery made from rice husk not plastic, let’s team up! We can even put your branding on our silicone bands or whole cups so everyone knows you support a greener future!
