News
Good Sustainability News at Lincoln: Another year of progress
30 Sep 2024
With a new academic year drawing near, it is a good time to reflect on some of the positive sustainability steps we have made across our operations from building decarbonisation to gardening. We warmly welcome Juliet Tye, our new Sustainability Officer, who has written this update.
Gardens
75% of 2024’s plant propagation was done in house, allowing us to regulate the process and reduce our carbon emissions by not buying plants in. As we look to next year we are aiming to increase this figure so that 100% of our plant propagation is done in house. Further good news from the gardens includes the decision to not water the lawns this summer. This decision has saved approximately 20,000 litres of water and the lawns are still looking healthy.
Building decarbonisation
Works on our Museum Road site are coming to an end. 86 solar panels have been fitted along the rooftop of Museum Road’s Lady Abraham Hall buildings. These panels will reduce our reliance on electricity produced elsewhere and will be the first renewable electricity generation on any of Lincoln’s buildings, aiding us on our journey to decarbonisation.
Emissions
2024 has been another successful year in collecting our emissions data, and our total emissions for 2024 will be calculated in early 2025. The 2023 data has been the first time we can set a baseline from which we can compare our future emissions. Our Scope 1 emissions for the 2023 year were 498 tCO2e. Our Scope 2 emissions were 0, as our electricity supply is certified by Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin (REGO). We have a fuller picture than ever of what our Scope 3 emissions are and will be continuing to build on this in the next academic year.
Waste
This year we recorded our highest ever recycling rate for the month of June. This is significant as June tends to be the worst month for the College's recycling rate. This was achieved by a poster campaign focused on waste reduction delivered by the Green Impact team and from engagement of the JCR.
Engagement
In the 2023/2024 academic year the College was awarded its second consecutive Gold Green Impact Award. This year the College also hosted a Biodiversity photo exhibition, where photos were submitted by students, staff and alumni, showcasing Biodiversity at Lincoln, in Oxford and around the world. Engagement from staff and the student body has resulted in our best year for sustainability engagement so far.
Where next?
- Lincoln retains Gold in Green ImpactRead more