Vision

If we are successful with our project, the following things would have happened: we would have a signed partnership with a local Batik business for the production of our clothing line campaign; we would have contacted and outsourced suppliers of biodegradable and recyclable clothing material to produce the products for our clothing line; we would have created an online shop using either a social media platform (e.g., Instagram) or a website; we would see our clothing line being worn or used by Gadja. 

Metrics for success  

The metrics of success of our project will be determined by the following factors: 

Customer and Audience: We aim to reach at least 10,000 impressions on our website and social media platform by the end of the six-month project period. In terms of active audiences, our goal is to engage at least 2,000 people both within the Universitas Gadjah Mada community and beyond our campus. 

Product Sales: For our clothing line campaign, we aim to have at least 100 purchases. 

Final report 

Powerpuff Energy was an ambitious project founded by two freshmen from Universitas Gadjah Mada. The Global University Climate Forum served as an opportunity to learn and connect with university students worldwide, all of whom shared the same passion for climate advocacy and understood the sense of urgency surrounding the ongoing climate crisis.  

Batik and environmental sustainability are two components that established our project. Gamaindigo Natural Dye and Fabrics workshop, a business with whom we had the opportunity to collaborate with for our project, pioneers the production of natural dye and fabrics within the Yogyakarta Region.  Our project was a social media campaign done through platforms such as LinkedIn and Instagram. We created and designed content that covered topics on the ongoing climate crisis, sustainable batik production, slow fashion, and the importance of youth action. The process and execution of this project were not simple. The COVID-19 pandemic served as a complex issue that required us to change the core component stated in our original Vision statement regarding our aim to “produce and sell sustainably produced batik designs aimed toward the youth.” We learned over time the importance of persistence, innovation, and developing effective methods of communication between team members.  

Despite the complexity of the current situation, youth spirit, climate action, and advocacy for the environment are all essential factors in combating this ongoing climate crisis. Relighting the torch was the sole purpose of Powerpuff Energy, and we hope that those we have impacted pass on the light to those around them. 

Vision

To be a society with new lifestyles and customs, which contributes to reducing pollution and consequently the effects of climate change in order to be more sustainable. 

Metrics for success  

The success of this project is measured by the impact among neighbors, friends, family, and university students who were trained to support this environmental process – a total of 250 people. 

Final report 

The UAEMex team developed a comprehensive project that considers various actions to be taken by neighbors, friends, family, and university students:  

Collection of used cooking oil. Because the oil is a highly polluting element when emptied down the drain, we collected and delivered it to the UAEM researcher, Dr. Rubí Romero, to make it into biodiesel.  

Replacement of polystyrene containers. Due to COVID-19, we saw an increase in the use of Styrofoam (expanded polystyrene) containers. These are single-use and not biodegradable. We promoted the use of reusable rigid containers of high-density polyethylene (HDPE) through a zero Styrofoam campaign.  

Plant-forward food. We shared the information that producing beef has a high GHG impact and promoted the consumption of chicken, legumes, vegetables, and fish.  

Food waste reduction. We messaged about responsible consumption – suggesting that our participants try to ensure that they do not waste food. We also collected food waste to make homemade compost. This reduced the volume of material going into the trash and resulting compost can also be used for healthier plants.  

This comprehensive process is a new sustainable lifestyle. It is a philosophy of life with more synergy with nature. 

Vision

This project seeks to guide companies towards more efficient production processes through reducing waste generation by optimally managing materials and eco-innovations. This will lead entrepreneurs to consider sustainability a valuable tool for their economic growth and permeate the social and environmental sectors. The metrics were obtained from an extensive literature review, implying that the indicators accurately measure sustainable practices. 

Metrics for success  

Ultimately, success will be the transfer of knowledge through applying a strategy for the evaluation and adoption of sustainable practices. In particular, the impact will be reducing the ecological footprint of industry. In the short term, however, it will be possible to measure efficient use of resources through consumption indicators for materials, energy, and water; output indicators of recycling rate, waste, and emissions; and performance indicators of training of personnel, environmental system, and efficient use of technologies. 

Final report 

Ciudad Juarez is one of the ten most important industrial cities in Mexico and in the border along the United States. It has a 367 IMMEX (Manufacturing Industry, Maquiladora, and Export). This industry has an impact on the environment, so they require the adoption of practices based on the dimensions of sustainability: 

Environmental. Requires that the development of the company be compatible with the maintenance of ecological processes and natural resources. 

Economic. Requires an economically efficient and equitable development with environmental actions, this is divided into investment and recovery. 

Social. Aimed to strengthen the commitment of its staff and to transmit a commitment to the environment to society. 

Technological. Aimed at developing cleaner processes from science and technology. It is divided into technological inventory and eco-innovations. 

To achieve the objective of this project, we developed a five-stage strategy to ensure the transfer of sustainability in manufacturing companies: Analysis, Design, Development, Evaluation, and Standardization. The analysis consisted of evaluating 16 industries with a survey that contained 20 items. The end result was 24% of the assessed practices were given an opportunity to design strategies, develop in the industry, evaluate the efficiency, and finally standardize.  

Strategies: Energy, Fuel, Water, Waste Management, Use of Renewable Materials, Sustainable Logistics, Ecological Footprint, ROI, Flexibility, Health and Security, Culture and Environmental Education, Effects on the Community, Sustainability Training, Environmental Certifications, Technological Systems, Modular Design, Technological Portfolio, and Eco-innovation. 

Vision

Our primary Vision is to bridge this gap between people and recycling companies. We noticed that many people do not know how to recycle paper, and some don’t even know that paper can be recycled. People can help protect the environment as well as get products from recycled paper, and companies can make a profit while helping to fight environmental pollution. We decided to develop an app will be a good platform to link people with these companies.   

Metrics for success  

We are going to measure our success based on two points:   

The amount of paper we recycled. This gives us a direct and clear way of measuring our goals. In six months, we aim to recycle a minimum of 200 kg of paper.   

The number of users that will be signed in into our system. This gives us a sense of scale and also gives us an indication of the popularity of our app. In six months’ time, we aim to have around 400 users in our system. 

Final report 

Our main plan was to make an app to order a pick-up for the paper people want to recycle. However, as we developed the project, we added a map navigation system to make it easy to collect the papers. There are two apps: one for users to order pick-up and the other for collectors. The interface is similar to Uber, but for paper recycling.  

After we finished the app, the university was hesitant to believe in our student-led project. We faced unexpected pushback from the financial office because they wanted to know what we were planning to do with the recycled materials. We solved this by agreeing that whatever we will be recycling will be used by the students and staff of the university.  

We believe that our project is unique, and it has improved resource conservation and use of technology. The next step for our team is to expand to the other 16 campuses of Addis Ababa University. We also want to grow in the city. We have already applied for approval from the city government and Orange Summer Challenge, and innovation hubs. We are awaiting their response. 

Vision

TodosTenemos is a Barcelona-based initiative focused on sustainability and solidarity. We all have things that have not been used for weeks or months, which could be better used by someone else. So, we look for people from our community who want to donate these things, and we help them reach someone who needs that object. In this way, the project promotes a more sustainable economy, and at the same time, it will spread consciousness about the negative impact of consumerism on the planet. 

Metrics for success  

The primary success indicator for us will be the increasing number of completed donations as well as the number of “givers” and “receivers” that we have successfully worked with. These numbers will be directly proportional to the success of the project. Moreover, we will measure the impact of our social media. We will track the app statistics and ask for feedback from our followers via online forms. These will help us know if we are on the right path to achieve meaningful and helpful actions. 

Final report 

We are present on social media, where we are raising awareness about a circular economy. Moreover, we are working with two online forms where people can tell us what they have to donate or what they need, and with these tools, we match people to perform the donations. We also have a Facebook group where the donations can be made directly by the people. We are collaborating with non-profit organizations to help donations reach them and are building more collaborations in Barcelona, allowing us to create workshops about reusing and repairing.   

Finally, for our project, success means effective altruism, success means more awareness of climate change in our community, and success means basic needs covered. Our first goal is to reach as many people as possible and make them engage in our mission. We want to see conversation, debates, and ideas in our social media to make more people aware of the importance of the circular economy, second-hand objects, and kindness.

Vision

We will reduce the consumption gap between old business models and those yet to be created for the fashion industry. Furthermore, the real value will be captured over products by creating a new generation of consumers, who are aware of smart consumption concepts. They will know the What, How, and Why of textile processes and materials, as well as the environmental and social impacts of the industry. In addition, it will become a responsibility for the industrial, government, and social sectors. 

Metrics for success  

The main goal is to reduce the impacts of the clothing industry by educating consumers about the impacts. To achieve this, the scope and impact of our campaign will be measured using analytical tools offered by social networks, such as web traffic and impressions.  

Final report 

During the last months in the Global University Climate Forum, we gained power and new knowledge for creating information dissemination strategies. We developed tools alongside specialized tutors. Within the first few months of the Forum, we created social media content and used different tactics to analyze the most efficient channels. At the same time, we offered various insights to determine which had the most powerful impacts. We experienced problems, such as data processing and defining the final strategy. However, with the help of our mentors, we resolved our issues.   

Our final strategy consisted of creating a website to be an information repository and share it in through channels along with some other related pages. We prioritized the creation of videos, infographics, webinars, and substantive news articles. Some of the infographics were very particularly well-received. We were pleased to find an audience that was eager for change – we received positive feedback and requests for more information about the topic. We have observed enthusiasm for this project and have joined our project with others for greater success. Our our website can be viewed here: Na’at Nook’  

Vision

This proposal argues the potential in igniting green jobs and circular economy thinking by diverting recyclable materials from the landfill waste stream. This reduces pollution-creating processes (of land and air due to incineration) and explores opportunities for the upcycling of these resources. This is envisioned through:  i) Re-establishing waste management provider partnership to extract recyclables from the waste stream. ii) Establishing an innovation hub encouraging green entrepreneurship. 

Metrics for success  

Our goal is a successful submission of the proposal to the formal decision-making and governance structures of Rhodes University, starting from the Infrastructure Sub-Committee of the Institutional Planning Committee (IPC). This will enhance institutional ratification and implementation of the project. We aim for the successful implementation of the identified pilot recycling projects as well as the redirecting of recyclables for repurposing. We also hope to realize the implementation of the innovation hub encouraging green entrepreneurship for students.   

Final report 

The project concept has been gaining support since Rhodes University’s Institutional Development Plan (IDP) discussion workshop led by the Institute for Water Research in January 2020, and previously by actions led by various Rhodes University Departments and the Environmental Committee. During the 2020 IDP workshop, Dr. Sizwe Mabizela, Vice-Chancellor of Rhodes University, stated that “2020 is the year that we start to move forward in earnest and ensure our graduates have a heightened awareness of sustainability and a sustainable future… so that tomorrow will be better than today.” However, COVID-19 stopped the plans until the 2020 Global University Climate Forum project in late 2020.   

The proposed concept of regenerative sustainability builds on a partnership with local businesses (iWars Environmental Management Services and PolyFibre EcoFrames factory). It focuses on waste reduction and sustainability practices through green/circular economy thinking (with roots in the Doughnut Economics thinking promoted by Kate Raworth).   

The proposal identifies challenges that also hold the promise of opportunity:   

Socio-economic: Unlocking the value in “waste” for a green circular economy to create green job opportunities, all while keeping the spending local to maximize benefits for Makhanda and extended communities.   

Environmental: Reducing the environmental impacts of resource consumption, the management of the byproduct (waste), and the extraction of recyclables from the waste stream to reduce pollution-creating processes.  

Education requires Head, Heart, and Hands: Satish Kumar explains that specialized and compartmentalized systems should evolve to a more holistic educational system; we need to see the interconnectedness of everything. We need to learn our place in our ecosystem and strive to maintain the integrity of the ecosystem. We need to experience life. We do this through gardening, making, building, creating, and cleaning up after ourselves.  

The importance of social learning: The work of Dr. Ettiene Wenger-Traynor, emphasizes that collaboration is key to unlocking new knowledge. Our actions involve coming together with a shared concern or problem; recognizing the difference we want to make; appreciating the uncertainty and the lack of answers; brainstorming and experimenting with new ideas; taking them back into practice; assessing the results; discarding those that don’t work, and improving and scaling out those that do.  

One of our key metrics was the successful submission to the formal decision making and governance structures of the Rhodes University starting from the Infrastructure Sub-Committee of the Institutional Planning Committee (IPC) to enhance institutional ratification and implementation of the project. The proposal was heard on April 19th, 2021, and the IPC indicated support for the proposal during this meeting. The next step requires approval of a collections processing site for managing the plastic recyclables before they are transported to the PolyFibre factory for repurposing. The site is proposed to be located within the Rhodes University Campus to ensure sustained viability, meaning the recyclables must be compacted to maximize truckloads for both environmental and financial economics.   

Another key metric was the successful implementation of the identified pilot projects.  This project is a work in progress, of course. We plan to implement the pilot projects for collections on campus within the next academic term.  

Our final key metric is the implementation of the innovation hub to encourage green entrepreneurship for students. This will be converted to an e-hub located within the Rhodes University Environmental Sustainability site with a designated webpage. The design and implementation are expected to be developed in the next academic term.   

Vision

Our Vision is to help consumers to make more informed, sustainable purchasing decisions. We aim to make people more aware of the environmental consequences of a particular purchase, thereby transforming consumerism into a more conscious and critical behavior. By encouraging a shift in demand towards more environmental-friendly alternatives, we can reduce the consumption footprint of our society. 

Metrics for success  

Volume: The week-to-week growth in likes, comments, shares, and views on social media posts 

Engagement: Conversation rate (proportion of views to engagement) 

Reach: Quantity of connections and cooperation with external partners 

Community: Number of followers and subscribers to our social media pages and mailing list 

Behavior: Change in consumer decisions (survey feedback, sales volume) 

Final report 

GreenerMe’s “Carbon Friendly Food Guide” project aimed to encourage greener eating on campus. With the return of campus activities as Melbourne moved out of lockdown, it seemed like an appropriate time to encourage the campus community to make more environmentally conscious meal choices. The “Carbon Friendly Food Guide,” featuring meat-free food options sold on campus, was published online and disseminated through several channels including the University Sustainability Team’s Green Impact program, email newsletters, and social media. 

Creating a food guide was not the team’s initial plan for the project. When we first applied for the forum, we intended to design a ratings framework that consumers in Australia could apply to evaluate the environmental footprint of different food products. Through our research on different ways to encourage behavior change, as well as consultations with our Global University Climate Forum mentor and University staff experienced in working on projects related to the ethical purchase intention-behavior gap, we realized that highlighting that meat-free meals can be equally delicious might be more effective for encouraging the adoption of greener eating habits rather than bombarding consumers with numbers. This prompted us to change our strategy to create a food guide instead.

We learned the importance of being resourceful and adaptable as the project evolves. Moving forward, GreenerMe will continue to search for avenues to promote the food guide and may consider expanding the guide to include more food vendors both on and off campus.

Vision

Our vision is to inspire new habits of responsible consumption that will bring about benefits to economy and health, as well as a reduction of the participants’ carbon footprint. The project is expected to expand after the six-month program and be continued by people of different generations.

Metrics for success  

We will design routines for different groups of participants, who will add new neutral carbon activities to their own routines during the six-month project. We will calculate their carbon footprint every month and compare all the measurements. 

Final report 

La Huella de tus Acciones is a citizen science project. Over the six months of the project, we led seven webinars and three workshops. We also posted to social media about climate change related topics during this time. The goal of our project was to reduce participants’ carbon footprint by changing their habits and helping them to make sustainable decisions about the consumption of products, services, and food.  

The study group comprised nine active participants, heterogeneous in age, gender, schooling, and career. The participants’ carbon footprint was calculated three times with data from before COVID-19 Pandemic, at the beginning of the project, and at the end of the project. This gave us a reference value as well as indicators to measure whether the changes in their habits and decisions were effective.  

The average participant footprint averages were 3.46 tons of CO2/year before the pandemic; 2.88 at the beginning of the project; and 0.94 at the end. According to this, due to the pandemic conditions and the application of the knowledge acquired during the course, the participants were able to reduce their carbon footprint. We are pleased to report that in addition to this, the participants gained the skills to share this knowledge with others, which they are already implementing in their community. For example, two of the participants have become agents of action at an elementary school and a neighborhood in Mexico City.  

Our results confirm that the environmental education webinars, workshops, and social media posts that we delivered are a model that could be replicated in different levels of society. This can generate ecological awareness, likewise, indirectly reducing the individual greenhouse gas emissions. 

Vision

Each year, 1.3 billion tons of food is wasted.  This is one third of all food produced for human consumption, and costs the global economy close to $940 billion each year. Let’s be reminded, it’s not just the food that is wasted, along with it go valuable resources such as land, fuel, and water. 10.7% of the total world population suffers from chronic hunger. Our Vision is to try to close this gap as much as possible, reduce food waste and hunger by creating awareness, and sharing food within the community. 

Metrics for success  

• Acceptance of the idea of sharing edible food by members of the university. 
• Number of people using the service and number of items being shared. 
• Most importantly, a change in people’s mindset and consciousness regarding food waste. 

Final report 

Is there enough food for everyone? Yes. Is everyone getting enough food? No. 

We tend to bulk buy and before we know it, the food is expired and has to be thrown away. Food Me is a hub where members of the university and locals can donate edible food which is of no use to them. Whoever requires these items are free to take them. We believe such an exchange would not only reduce food waste but even marginally trim down the carbon footprint. The Global University Climate Forum organized gave us motivation and helped streamline the objective of this initiative. 

A food hub was already set up as a support for students during COVID-19. Long lasting items were received from supermarkets and distributed to students. With the support of our sustainability manager (UNSW), Arifa Sarfraz, and Food Hub coordinator, Miles Portek, we were able to commingle Food Me into Food Hub at a rudimentary level. 

Food is a sensitive matter and is intricately related to health and hygiene, coming up with guidelines was important but challenging. Our mentor, David Havelick from Harvard University, helped us build on these guidelines and presentation techniques. 

We wish to see Food Me as a permanent aspect of not only our universities, but also communities worldwide. We wish to further develop an application, which was our primary goal, to assist in planning meals and pre-order from supermarkets. This comes full circle from production to consumption and thereby reduces food waste.