Sustainability Action Month
Join us for our biggest sustainability event of the year – four weeks of interactive activities and events to help you understand more about the climate crisis and showcasing easy ways to embed sustainable practices at work, on campus, and at home.
About the initiative
“The environmental threats facing humanity and the other species with which we share our planet are greater than ever and the speed at which we need to address them is immense. We, like all Universities, have a crucial role to play in meeting this challenge.
As part of our bicentenary programme, Sustainability Action Month strengthens our University's purpose to advance education, knowledge and wisdom for the good of society. Together, we need to apply this purpose with more passion than ever to protecting and enhancing our environment and preventing uncontrolled climate change.
During Sustainability Action Month we will share practical hints, tips, and solutions we encourage you to embed in your everyday lives at work, on campus, and at home. Together we can make a big difference.”
Professor Nalin Thakkar, Vice-President for Social Responsibility
Get involved
Week one (8–14 April): The Climate Crisis
This week will focus on education covering the threats of the climate crisis, and why it so important we all act now. We will share how the University is being impacted and what we are doing about it through our strategy, Our Sustainable Future (PDF, 4.7MB).
Week two (15–21 April): Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
Improving our circular economy by using less, reusing what we have and recycling more is a crucial component in our plight to save precious resources, and reduce environmental pollution. We will share advice and practical solutions on how you can help.
Week three (22–28 April): Nurturing Nature
From the small robin to the giant oak tree, nature has a very special role to play in protecting our fragile eco system, as well as its huge positive impact on our mental health and wellbeing. Join us on our mission to encourage everyone to appreciate the nature around them.
Week four (29 April–9 May): Sustainable Living
Want to know what small actions you can take on a regular basis to help our planet and reduce your carbon footprint? We will share practical hints, tips, and solutions we encourage you to embed in your everyday lives at work, on campus, and at home. Together we can make a big difference.
Full event listings
We have a range of in-person and online events for our staff and students to enjoy over the next four weeks.
Expand the entries below to find detailed information about each event.
Week One (8 - 14 April): The Climate Crisis
In-person event: Tuesday, 9 April (11.30am–2.30pm) University Place
Want to know more about our plan for sustainability across campus?
Visit our information stand to learn more about our sustainability strategy, discover live examples of great initiatives happening now, and find out more about how you can take part and get involved.
There’s also a chance to win some free tickets to the RHS Urban Gardening Show (18–21 April).
In-person event: Tuesday, 9 April (10am–12pm). Meeting point: Brunswick Church, Brunswick St, Manchester M13 9SX
Want to keep our local community clean and flourishing?
Come and help maintain the green sites in Ardwick by joining our litter pick and helping Ardwick Climate Action Groups with weeding and planting. For more details head to the Volunteer Hub.
In-person event: Tuesday, 9 April (11am–1pm); Friday, 12 April (12–2pm), Stopford reception
What does green washing mean to you? Do more people need better education on green washing? Come and talk to Abigail about what more the University could do to educate students on this important topic.
In-person event: Wednesday, 10 April (12–2pm), Michael Smith Building café lounge
Come along and check out work being done by biological sciences students on developing a green standard operating process (SOP) for key lab techniques, including ELIZA and cell culture. They would love to share your feedback with the Sustainable Lab Network.
Online event: Wednesday, 10 April (1pm), TikTok
Come and join your Sustainability Champions for an exciting live Q&A on TikTok to talk all things sustainability. Hear from them about how you can be more sustainable as a student, what’s happening on campus and why sustainability is such a hot topic. Drop your questions into the chat and join the discussion.
In-person event: Thursday, 11 April (1pm–3pm), The Hive (1st Floor), Students' Union
Interested in working in the sustainability industry, but don’t know what type of roles are on offer, or how to make your CV stand out?
Come and talk to a wide range of sustainability professionals from different business backgrounds to learn more about their career path into sustainability and get tips on what they’d be looking for from CVs and job applications.
Drop in at any time during the 2 hours.
In-person event: Friday, 12 April, (1pm–4pm), Engineering Building Foyer
Join RoundView’s creator, Dr Joanne Tippett, as she hosts an interactive learning stand to inspire the next generation of environmentalists.
The RoundView is a big-picture framework for sustainability learning and communication. It gives a science-based set of guidelines to redesign our systems, so we don’t cause environmental problems in the first place. Drop by the Engineering building to take a look.
Read Dr Tippett's opinion piece on a new approach to climate change education.
In-person event: Friday, 12 April (2pm–3pm), University Place (room 6.206)
Join our sustainability champions for a special talk about Manchester City Council's major climate change achievements. They will cover some key themes about climate change in our city with a chance to discuss what this means for initiatives at a local level.
Week Two (15–21 April): Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
In-person event: Monday, 15 to Friday, 19 April, multiple locations
Got old IT equipment cluttering up your office or homes?
Did you know that E-waste comprises 70% of the UKs overall toxic waste?
Stop electrical waste going to landfill and drop it off on campus and the IT team will ensure it is either spruced up and get a new lease of life or will be responsibly recycled. Find a drop off point.
In-person event: Monday, 15 April (11am–2:30pm), Students’ Union
Did you know that one email emits, on average, 4g of CO2 = the carbon footprint of a light bulb turned on for 6 minutes?
Come and meet us at the SU’s Exhibition Space to learn more about Digital CleanUp, pledge how much digital space you’re going to delete that week and get some freebies!
In-person events: Monday, 15 April (11am–1pm), Benugo cafe; Tuesday, 16 April (11am–1pm), Marketplace; Thursday, 18 April (11am–1pm), Benugo cafe; Friday, 19 April (11am–1pm), Marketplace.
6R stands for Review, Reduce, Reuse, Refill, Replace and Recycle. Our 6R champions would love you to join them at Benugo cafe and Marketplace where they will inspire you to reduce your food waste and teach you about the best recycling practices!
In-person events: Monday, 15 April (12pm-2pm), Stopford foyer; Tuesday, 16 April (12pm-2pm), Main Library; Thursday, 18 April (12pm-2pm), AMBS second floor; Friday, 19 April (12pm-2pm), Alan Gilbert.
6R stands for Review, Reduce, Reuse, Refill, Replace and Recycle. Our 6R champions will test your knowledge on plastics and introduce you to their guide packed full of useful tips. Chance to win some free seeds and plants!
In-person event: Tuesday, 16 April (12–3pm), Ground Floor, Students' Union
Join us to hear more about Bee Cup, an exciting new returnable cup scheme coming soon to the University. Check out our stand and get a free coffee in September.
In-person event: Wednesday, 17 April (11am–2.30pm), Engineering Building Foyer
Want to know more about our plan for sustainability across campus?
Visit our information stand to learn more about our sustainability strategy, discover live examples of great initiatives happening now, and find out more about how you can take part and get involved.
There will also be the chance to get some free plants!
In-person event: Wednesday, 17 April (11am–2pm), Alan Gilbert Café
Join our Milk Challenge! Making simple changes to your diet can make a big difference to your carbon footprint.
Would you be willing to make the eco-switch from cows’ milk to plant-based milk? Come and visit us in the Alan Gilbert café to see if you can taste the difference.
In-person event: Wednesday, 17 April (11am–2:30pm), Students' Union
Did you know that one email emits, on average, 4g of CO2 = the carbon footprint of a light bulb turned on for 6 minutes?
Come and meet us at the SU’s Exhibition Space to learn more about Digital CleanUp, pledge how much digital space you’re going to delete that week and get some freebies!
In-person event: Wednesday, 17 April (2–4pm), meet outside of the Simon Building
Join our litter pick in Ardwick, our neighbouring community, to help create a cleaner environment and fight against pollution. We will be meeting outside the Simon building and walking there together. All equipment will be provided. Register your interest by emailing leilah.radler@manchester.ac.uk.
In-person event: Thursday, 18 April, (1–3pm), The Makers Space (Engineering Building Foyer)
At this free workshop you’ll learn how to wield a needle and thread or machine to rework one of your unloved clothing items. Bring along an old shirt, T-shirt or a pair of jeans to upcycle or repair.
Dive into our stash of reclaimed textiles, trims and buttons and get inspired by our sample rail. No experience necessary as there will be facilitators there to help! All other materials and equipment will be provided free of charge.
In-person event: Thursday, 18 April (12–4:30pm), Students’ Union
Revitalise your wardrobe at our clothes swap in the SU exhibition space! Bring your old but well-loved clothes and exchange them for some refreshed second-hand pieces to switch things up in a sustainable way. We can’t wait to see you there! In partnership with our Sustainability Champions and the Want Not Waste Society.
In-person event: Thursday, 18 April (4–6pm), Students' Union room 2.2
Join us at 4pm for our Digital CleanUp workshop to learn some tricks to organise your online space and resources in an efficient way, and declutter your devices (laptops, phones and tablets). Free pizza provided!
In-person event: Thursday, 18 April (1.10–1.55pm), Martin Harris Centre
A concert of songs concerned with the environment and sustainability, born from a collaboration between poet John McAuliffe and composer Richard Whalley. There’s no need to book – the concerts are free, and you can just turn up on the day! To find out more visit WCLC: Songs of Sustainability.
Online event: Thursday, 18 April (11am), Zoom
Want your coursework or dissertation to have real world impact? Come along to our talk to see how your research can centre around real life sustainability issues set by external organisations.
The University Living Lab has more than 150 projects set by external organisations that you can adapt to your dissertation or coursework.
We will return quality work to the organisation who set the project for them to use in their sustainable development work. Several students have been employed by organisations they researched for and many more attribute their employment to this experience. University Living Lab is a powerful way for you to make a difference for sustainability and enhance your employability, in an accessible way through your taught assessment.
This online session will tell you more about how University Living Lab works, and how you can get involved through your assessment, and/or how the University Living Lab could support any charities, societies, NGOs, businesses that you work with.
In-person event: Saturday, 20 April (12–4pm), Manchester Museum (top floor)
Celebrate sustainability and the upcoming World Earth Day at Manchester Museum.
Drop in between 12–4pm to meet the communities, charities, activists, and artists shaping a more sustainable and fair future for Manchester. Discover new and different ideas and get involved in free creative workshops and activities for all ages.
Learn more about Meet the Changemakers.
Week Three (22 - 28 April): Nurturing Nature
In-person event: Monday, 22 April (10am–2pm), Students’ Union
Want to know more about our plan for sustainability across campus?
Come and meet the Environmental Sustainability Team to learn more about our sustainability strategy, live examples of great initiatives happening now, and find out more about how you can take part and get involved. Drop by and get some free plants!
In-person event: Thursday, 25 April (1–2pm), Manchester Museum (meet at the Fossils Gallery)
In proud association with The University of Manchester's Sustainability Action Month, the Manchester Museum will host a special sustainability guided tour.
Your expert museum guide will bring to life highlights of Manchester Museum’s Natural History collection to tell the story of sustainable living, the consequences of our impacts across the globe, and the work that Manchester Museum is doing both abroad and locally to build a more sustainable world.
Online event: Thursday, 25 April (2–3pm). Register via Eventbrite.
Join Sustainable Futures as they host their fourth 2024 Seminar in their monthly seminar series with Dr Joanne Tippett and John Mackintosh. Find out more about the talk Click Here
John Mackintosh: From Launch to Business Insight: Developing a framework to assess the environmental cost of satellite data with consideration of technical, economic and governance aspects.
Dr Joanne Tippett: Learning through the RoundView: Inspiring new ways of thinking about sustainable futures with libraries and community learning
In-person Thursday, 25 April, (2–4pm), University Place Foyer
Come and get some free wildflower seeds and seed bombs to plant in your garden or any green space around Manchester to help support our bees and insects. Chat with your sustainability champions about why biodiversity is important!
In-person event: Friday, 26 April (12–1pm), University Place (room 2.219)
Join our April climate café; a safe space to share our feelings about the climate crisis – a thinking and feeling space, a haven from busyness and activity.
We do this because sharing feelings in a supportive setting helps to build our resilience during this confusing and difficult time. The café is organised by Public Health at the University and is supported by the Climate Psychology Alliance. Find out more and register.
In-person event: Friday, 26 April (2.30–4.30pm), Michael Smith Quad
Want to be able identify the vast range of flora and fauna on campus by simply taking a photo? Come and try out the exciting I-Naturalist app and spend time with fellow enthusiasts to identify species present in Michael Smith Quad – also part of City Nature Challenge 2024: Greater Manchester.
Week Four (29 April–9 May): Sustainable Living
In-person event: Monday, 29 April (2–3.30pm), Roscoe Building (room 2.10)
Help us build a more sustainable future by guiding us on how we can best provide useful educational and inspirational tools to you, our students, which would encourage and support you to live more sustainably. From app or web-based solutions to more in person events or training courses – join us at 2pm and come and share your ideas, have your say.
In-person event: Tuesday, 30 April (11:30am –2:30pm), Students' Union
Want to learn how carbon friendly your food choices are?
Come and speak to Klimato, an organisation that measures the carbon footprint of different foods. They’re on campus to help you understand why certain foods a lower impact on the environment than others so you can make more informed decisions around mealtimes in future!
In-person event: Tuesday, 30 April (2:30–4:30pm), Students' Union Exhibition Space 2
Are you a regular rider, or someone who hasn’t been on a bike in years? Meet Pete from Love to Ride, an organisation with an app which puts a bit of added fun, reward and incentive into your bike rides. In May, join the movement to create safer, more bike-friendly streets with the Bike Month Challenge and #MakeEveryRideCount! Stop by his stand to ask for more details and the chance to win some cool bike related goodies.
In-person event: Wednesday, 1 May (11am–2pm), Students' Union
Want great cleaning products but without the single use plastic? Come and meet OceanSaver®. They’re on a mission to save ocean life from the plastic pollution and harmful chemicals in 28 billion single-use plastic cleaning products created every year.
Their plastic-free, plant-based laundry, cleaning sprays, and dishwashing products clean like the leading brands without harming ocean life.
They support the Blue Marine Foundation, restoring vital marine habitats in the Solent, home to our native shellfish, cuttlefish, sea horses, sharks, and dolphins. Join over 200,000 people who have said “pollocks to plastic” and become an OceanSaver® today. The Ocean Will Thank You.
In-person event: Wednesday, 1 May (11am –2pm), Students' Union
Want to know what daily decisions can impact your carbon footprint?
From bananas to strawberries, from chicken to beef, and from flying to taking the train, making better decisions for the planet can be simple once you know how. Come and speak to the Environmental Sustainability Team about how you can eat, travel, learn, work and live more sustainably by making some small lifestyle changes, which can make a big impact.
In-person event: Wednesday, 1 May (11am–2pm), Students' Union
Come and get some free wildflower seeds and seed bombs to plant in your garden or any green space around Manchester. Chat with your sustainability champions about why biodiversity is important!
In-person event: Wednesday, 1 May (10am–3pm), outside of University Place
Ditch the car and go green. Stop by to chat to one of Cycling UK's experts about the benefits of cycling to work and try one of their fun ranges of nonstandard e-cycles such as trikes and tandems. They are also offering free one-month e-cycle loans to those who have a disability.
In-person event: Wednesday, 1 May (12–3pm), The Place Café, Ground Floor, University Place
Don't want food waste? Come and visit our Community Fridge, designed to combat food waste and help keep your costs down by providing food options for you to enjoy for free.
In-person event: Friday, 3 May (2–4pm), Students' Union
Want to find out how the food you eat can benefit the environment? Come and try out some tasty vegan treats that are also low in carbon emissions. Our sustainability champions will be there to help inform you about some low impact food choices and recipes.
In-person event: Tuesday, 7 May (8.30–9.30am), Jean McFarlane building (G.306B)
Do you walk, run or cycle to work?
Come along to an active travel breakfast organised by the Faculty of Biology, Medicine and Health but open to all staff. Meet your colleagues that also walk run or cycle to work! Free vegan/veggie breakfast selection for participating! Gluten-free options included. Signing up beforehand is essential for catering purposes.
In-person event: Thursday, 9 May, University Place (5.206)
This workshop will introduce the RoundView and its use in undergraduate and post-graduate education in SEED with Dr Joanne Tippett, a co-founder of the RoundView. The workshop will conclude with creative dialogue to develop ideas for a Flexible Learning Pilot, to take this innovation forward across the University.
This event is relevant to anyone with teaching and learning roles and also those who work with student ambassadors/outreach.