Investing in the tools of the trade - Annual Conference 2014 carbon offset donation

As part of our sustainable event strategy, we make a carbon offset donation to the institution that hosted the 2014 EAUC Conference. We're delighted to share how Nottingham Trent University used our donation.

Here Laura Green, Environmental Engagement Officer, shares how the donation was put to good use:

"We were delighted when we were told that £250 was to be donated to Nottingham Trent University as the host institution for the EAUC Annual Conference 2014, helping us to offset the carbon generated by the event. We put our heads together to decide upon the best way to spend it. Would it be carbon elephant painting activities with the art students, purchasing branding flags for us to fly high at open day events or should we invest in equipment to help us really get green fingered?

In line with the launch of the Food Share allotment project at the Clifton campus, we decided to purchase gardening tools. This would not only get us well on the way with planting seasonal fruits and vegetables but would also ensure that higher numbers of volunteers could be catered for as there would be enough equipment to go round!

From hand trowels and forks, to rakes and wheel barrows, we managed to get a fully kitted out shed - and all from the sustainable supplier Draper.

On a weekly basis student and staff volunteers help with the allotment site. The tools also came in extra handy during the summer, as we laid over 200m of tree chipping paths with the help of 60 local school pupils, helping to make our campus Nature Trail accessible throughout the seasons.

The tools purchased with the generous EAUC donation have been a great help to greening our campus and engaging staff and students with the projects across the site. Thanks EAUC!"

Find out more about Nottingham Trent University's environmental sustainability strategy at www.ntu.ac.uk/sustainability.