Case study: Bristol University
Bristol University People & Planet
Poetry for the Planet
Bristol People & Planet have been busy awareness-raising this year by starting a film night once a month - showing films like The Yes Men Fix The World, Shark Water and Taking Liberties. The film nights are regularly attended by 10 - 20 people. 30 students attended Verbal Remedie at the Halo bar in March - a poetry night with a Going Greener emphasis hosted by Oxford Slam Poetry Champion Danny Chivers.
Environmental Hub
The Bristol Uni P&P group meets regularly and organises with the BUST Society as well as Bath and UWE People & Planet groups. In the wider community the group works with The Hub - a local centre for environmental organisations. By working with The Hub Bristol P&P have been able to engage staff and students in a Transition Uni project steering group. Working with The Hub the group organised a miniature Climate Camp on College Green in Bristol in front of the council offices. They also had a good old knees up with a bike powered sound system and healthy servings of delicious vegan grub. The Climate Camp event was also used to promote the Wave climate march and get people thinking about international as well as local climate change action.
Lobbying locally
Working with the local community again the group took part in an anti-palm oil campaign this year. The campaign got wide publicity in local newspapers, online and on local BBC radio. The campaign pressed the council to reject proposals from the bio-fuel company W4B for a palm oil power plant in the area. The campaign was a triumph after the council received more than 1000 written objections! Within the university the group have been speaking to the Head of Sustainability to encourage replacement of car parking spaces with bike racks and now plan to make an ethical investment policy for the university. The policy will be based on those successfully campaigned for and proposed by other People & Planet groups. This is a long term project as the uni are linked to BAA and E-ON but the group are taking it on and already working on gathering signatures of support.
