Cardiff 'VC' graduates with a Third

Cardiff University People & Planet invited their Vice Chancellor, Dr David Grant, to a degree ceremony, as part of their Go Green campaign, to award him with his Third for environmental performance last week. Grant was 'unable to attend' and so P&P replaced him with a fake VC.

The University performed very poorly in 2008’s Green League, coming 84th and scoring 25.5 points out of 60 making them the worst in Wales! The group also did a popular hand petition, which is being displayed in the students’ union reception, and got over 300 signatures on postcards addressed to the VC asking him to improve environmental performance for next year with a full audit and full time environmental manager.

People & Planet’s national network release the Green League every year. The Go Green campaign aims to get universities, schools and colleges to reduce their environmental impact. Cardiff Students’ Union was recently awarded most improved in the NUS Sound Impact Awards for environmental impact but the university isn’t doing so well.

Joe Sweetman is the Go Green coordinator for Cardiff People & Planet:

We finished 18th out of the 20 Russell Group institutions in The Green League, this shows what the university is doing is not good enough. Our four demands will go a long way to putting this right.

Sam Coates is President of Cardiff Young Greens:

Last year’s Green League triggered improvements by many universities, and we hope this campaign will convince management at Cardiff to take responsibility and real action. Cardiff Green Party co-signed a letter to the VC last year asking him to implement demands of the campaign.

Hold your own Green League award ceremony

Why not follow Cardiff’s example and hold an award ceremony to highlight your university’s position in the Green League? Read this how-to guide.