Sustainability Resources

Our one-stop-shop for sustainability resources for students!

Everything you can do day-to-day to live more sustainably!

In Your Accommodation (Energy & Waste)
The choices you make at home can really add up. From small steps such as switching off lights or unplugging devices when they're not being used, through to recycling properly and reducing food waste. Living more sustainably in your accommodation isn't about being perfect—it's about being mindful and doing what you can, when you can. It's not just the planet that benefits, and being energy efficient isn't only good for the environment- it can also help you save money in the long run!
Check out some of the links below to find out more about what you can do:
- Energy-saving tips:
  - How to be energy efficient - UCAS
  - 17 energy saving tips to save money on bills – Save the Student
  - Student survival guide – The Uni Guide
- Saving-money tips:
  - A student's guide to energy – Warm and Well
  - Top tips to save energy in your student home - Power NI
- Reducing single-use plastic & zero waste:
  - How to go plastic-free on a budget - Save the Student
  - Ending waste – Keep Britain Tidy
- Got no recycling options available at your student accommodation? Find out where to recycle near you here:
  - Recycling Locator
  - Find Your Local Waste Services
Travel & Commuting
Choosing to walk, cycle or use public transport is a great and easy way to reduce your carbon footprint. Even small changes to your daily commute can make a big difference over time!
Check out some of the links below:
- Going green with your commute:
  - Travelling to and from campus - Coventry University
- Public Transport:
  Getting the Bus:
  - Student bus tickets - NX Bus
  - Student Bus Tickets - Stagecoach
  Catching the Train: 16-25 Railcard
  - Termly Student Discount Train Tickets - West Midlands Railway
  - Trains to Coventry - National Rail
- Cycling routes:
  - Cycling to university – Coventry City Council
  - Coventry cycle routes – Coventry City Council
- Carsharing:
  - Coventry University Carshare community - Liftshare

Explore simple, affordable food choices that are better for you, and the planet.

What you eat can have a big impact on both the planet and your budget. Eating sustainably doesn’t mean spending more or giving up your favourite foods. Instead, it’s about making simple, mindful choices that work for you! Easy choices include cooking at home and bringing in a packed lunch to Uni, or batch cooking your meals with affordable recipes. Adding more plant-based meals into your week is another easy way to lower your environmental impact, which can often be cheaper too.

Explore the links below for budget-friendly meal ideas, easy recipes, food waste tips, and sustainable food options for both on and around campus.

Affordable Cooking & Meal Prep
- Cheap weekly food shop ideas:
  - Affordable weekly food shop inspiration – Tesco UK
  - Student Meal Ideas on a £20 budget – Student Beans
- Plant based recipes:
  - Cheap and easy student meals – Friends of the Earth
  - 75 Vegan Student Recipes – BBC Good Food
  - 15 Quick & Simple Plant-Based Recipes For Students – Deliciously Ella
- Microwaves now on Coventry Campus!
  - Find Out More and How to Use
Waste Less, Save More
- Too Good To Go: Save Food Here!
- Reducing food waste at home
  - Vegetable Stock – Food Proof Living
  - Easy Homemade Vegetable Broth – From My Bowl
Try Something New?
- Meat Free Mondays: Find Out More – Meat Free Monday
- Seasonal food calendar: British Produce Seasonal Calendar
- Local Vegan Cafes:
  - Coventry:
    - Sugar & Spice
    - The Pod Café
    - Five best vegetarian restaurants in Coventry – Coventry University
  - Scarborough:
    - Francescas street eat
  - London:
    - CUL:
      - Andu Ethiopian Vegan Cafe
    - CU Dagenham:
      - The campus café itself offers vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free, halal and dairy-free options and is designed to be affordable for students
      - Union Streat Kitchen – CU London
      - Vegan Restaurants in Dagenham
    - CU Greenwich:
      - Vegan in Greenwich London – The Fork

Easy swaps and ethical choices you can make to shop more sustainably

Choosing to shop second-hand or support local, independent businesses is a great way to start! From charity shops to local businesses, there are plenty of ways to find unique items while shopping more sustainably. Don’t forget to keep an eye out for SU clothes swap events too—an easy (and free!) way to refresh your wardrobe.

Small everyday changes can add up. Switching to reusable items, like water bottles or coffee cups, (why not check out our range of SU branded items) can help you cut down on single-use waste, meaning less is sent to landfill!

Check out our links below for second-hand finds, local shops, and easy, budget-friendly swaps to help you shop more sustainably.

Ethical Shopping- Shop Second Hand & Local
- Local Independent Shops and Food and drink: Fiercely independent creatives based in Coventry – Fargo Village
- Oxfam Shop
- SU clothes swap events: Keep an eye out on our events page for our next event!
Easy Everyday Switches
- Waste reducing swaps: Easy swaps Blog
- 5 Budget-Friendly Ways Students Can Shop Sustainably – Faith in Nature
- 13 Easy Eco-Friendly Everyday Swaps to Reduce Waste - Eco Collective
Fairtrade:
Buying fairtrade items means that products have come from a sustainable source. It also means that the producers of the products have been paid a fair wage for their items!
As a Students’ Union, we stock fairtrade items in our outlets, look out for the Fair Trade logo when shopping to support and raise awareness. Find out more
- Where to find Fairtrade on campus: SU Outlets: Leaf
- Why Fairtrade matters: Responsible consumption, Fairtrade and universities – Students Organising for Sustainability

Watch to know and understand more? Check out our links below for more in-depth learning and explore videos, tools and other resources to help strengthen and understand your sustainability knowledge.

Watch
- Climate Change - The Facts - BBC
- How to Save Our Planet - Youtube
- What Happens to Plastic when you throw it away - Youtube
Learn
- UN Sustainable Development Goals
- How much do you know about recycling
Explore
- WWF footprint calculator: WWF carbon footprint checker
- Ecosia search engine
- Why does it matter?
- Building a "Green" Career:
  - Research Employers: Look for companies with strong environmental, social, and ethical policies (e.g., B Corp certification) when applying for internships or jobs.
  - Develop Transferable Skills: Focus on developing skills in systems thinking, teamwork, and communication by working on interdisciplinary sustainability projects.
  - Connect with Local Businesses: Engage in projects that connect you with local employers working on climate action, increasing your employability
    - Learn more - Sustainable Leadership
    - Learn more - Students should lead higher education's sustainability drive

There are various ways to get involved in sustainable activities- whether it be through a one-off event, or long-term commitment. A great way to start, is volunteering your time with a local charity or grassroots organisation!