Less consumption of paper
As expected, the covid-19 pandemic has had a significant effect on the consumption of paper. Compared to 2019 the consumption decreased with 42% in 2020. These low numbers have continued during the first semester of 2021, but with a slight increase during the past few months.
Although it is possible that paper consumption will increase somewhat in both 2021 and 2022 as work at SU returns to normal, the above graph shows a very clear long-term trend of decreasing paper consumption at the department.
As you may have noticed, we now have only one Printomat printer on each floor, instead of two. This might seem as bad news to many of us, but it is actually a sign that our work with reducing our paper consumption has been fruitful. The decision to remove the printers was not just based on the low consumption levels of 2020, but rather on our history of consumption during the past years. Congratulations everyone on the good work of lowering our paper consumption!
Tips to reduce paper consumption
Some tips to lower your paper consumption and to reduce the environmental impact of printing:
Always print double-sided whenever possible
- Avoid printing in color whenever possible
- Think before printing - is anybody actually going to read your printout?
Stockholm University Climate Roadmap
Stockholm University’s objective is to become carbon-neutral by 2040. The new climate roadmap focuses mainly on how the university should reach that target, but also presents proposed measures as to how the university, through research, education and collaboration can contribute to a more sustainable and resource-effective society.
Carbon neutrality does not imply that Stockholm University will be emission-free by 2040, but rather that the positive emissions (i.e., the increases in greenhouse gases to the atmosphere) and the negative emissions (i.e., the reduction of greenhouse gases to the atmosphere) should cancel each other out (+/-=0kg CO2). Thus, the climate roadmap includes not only a planning for how to eliminate or reduce current emissions but also for how to increase SU’s negative emissions.
Read more about the climate roadmap
New policy for meetings and travel
Stockholm University has decided on a new policy for meetings and travel. Reflecting the ambitious targets of the new Climate Roadmap, the new policy is stricter on the need to consider the environmental impact of travelling when making decisions on meetings and travel. In short, the policy says that:
- Employees must carefully evaluate the need for every work-related
- travel.
- Travel must to the furthest possible extent be replaced with digital meetings. It is not permitted to fly to a meeting or an activity that lasts less than one workday if digital participation is an option.
- When travel is justified, the means of transport that generates the lowest amount of greenhouse gas emissions must be prioritized, such as rail over air travel.
- Employees and students must to the furthest possible extent avoid booking air travel that includes stopovers.
- Unless warranted by special circumstances, journeys shorter than 700 km must be made by other means than air, such as rail or boat.
- Local travel, in Sweden and abroad, should primarily be made using public transportation.
Further information can be found here
New members wanted
The environmental group is looking for new members! If you are interested in helping us making the department more climate-neutral, you are welcome to join the group! We are especially looking for members who are senior researchers or lecturers. If you want to join, please contact miljogruppen@sociology.su.se