Taking Action at Rhodes University
for environmental sustainability
Dare to Change
Rhodes University is committed to promoting sustainable practices - this requires the support and commitment of staff and students. Pledge your commitment to sustainable practices.
Follow the links for sustainable practice ideas
Student action ~ Water-wise ~ Energy-wise ~ Waste-wise ~ Animal-wise ~ Carbon-wise ~ Climate-wise ~ Food-wise ~ Pet-wise ~ Plant-wise ~ Purchase-wise ~ Plastic-wise ~ Recycle-wise ~ Toxic waste-wise ~ Travel-wise ~
Student environmental action is alive and well at Rhodes University - join this growing and vibrant group of future leaders. You are encouraged to find out more about other environmental and sustainability concerns on campus and in the broader context of our community. Visit the action links on this page:
Need MORE INFO?
To help you find local and national organisations, useful websites and more, follow the links from the RESOURCES page.
Community Engagement at Rhodes University
The main vehicle for the University’s engagement with local environmental issues is through the Centre for Social Development and the RU Community Engagement office. Every year, the SRC organises a Community Engagement week - 16 to 22 March in 2009.
Join the Student Volunteer Programme or contact the SRC Community Engagement rep: srccommunity(at)ru.ac.za
Visit the Centre for Social Development at 5 Prince Alfred Street, or telephone +27-46-603.8573 or email csd(at)ru.ac.za
Find out more about Community Engagement, telephone +27-46-603.8149 or email community(at)ru.ac.za
Rights and Responsibilities
Staff and students, whether resident in town or on campus, have a right to "an environment that is not harmful to their health or well-being; and to have the environment protected, for the benefit of present and future generations, through reasonable legislative and other measures that prevent pollution and ecological degradation; promote conservation; and
secure ecologically sustainable development and use of natural resources while promoting justifiable economic and social development". This is enshrined in the South African Constitution (Section 24). We also have a responsibility to adopt practices that support a safe, healthy and sustainable environment.
Re-think
Re-thinking our lifestyles (and our approach to waste disposal) ... for socially and environmentally responsible ways to promote sustainability in our homes, community, and beyond.
Reduce
Reducing our ‘ecological footprint’ and impact on the planet, by avoiding unnecessary development or consumerism, purchasing eco-friendly products (locally and fairly produced, with minimal packaging), and making more sustainable travel choices.
Re-use
Re-using durable items (e.g. egg boxes, jam jars, bottles, etc) instead of disposable items.
Repair
Repairing damages to prolong the usefulness of items: instead of discarding. Also consider sharing items with those who are needy.
Regenerate
Regenerating can take place at many levels, for example the Movement for Good - which aims to involveme citizens actively in restoring our society; and living processes such as Vermiculture (composting with earthworms) - which restores soil fertility.
Recycle
Recycling starts at home: many items can be recycled to create new and useful products (e.g. glass, tins, plastic, paper, and organic waste).
“True recycling seeks to eliminate the natural resource input and the waste output of making the product” (Annie Leonard, Story of Stuff - www.storyofstuff.com)
Respect
Respecting the needs of all people is an important part of addressing sustainability concerns. Respecting the limits of our bio-physical systems is essential.
Chief Seattle is quoted by Mary Pipher in Writing to Change the World:
This we know:
All things are connected
Like the blood
Which unites one family.
Whatever befalls the earth
Befalls the sons and daughters of the earth.
Man did not weave the web of life:
He is merely a strand in it.
Whatever he does to the web,
He does to himself.
Go to the Rhodes University ENVIRONMENT front page. Suggestions/Questions? Contact environment(at)ru.ac.za
