Students get steamy and use body heat to cut carbon
With Valentine's Day in mind, students at dozens of universities and colleges across the country host 'Carbon Speed Dating' events to help students find romance and raise awareness of the simple, romantic things we can all do to help save the planet.
UEA students show their love for the climate
Image © Leejiah Dorward
Students at University of East Anglia (UEA) last week held the first in a series of speed-dating nights with a twist, as part of their regular clubnight. Couples were matched up for a series of speed-dates after working out their carbon footprints using the Guardian’s quick calculator. Over 300 students took part and at least 60 found their carbon ‘sole’mates and signed up to the 10:10 campaign by pledging to cut their carbon footprint by 10% in 2010.
Leejiah Dorward, one of students who organised Carbon Speed Dating, said:
“It was your typical sweaty student clubnight, but with a serious message behind it. Not many of our carbon ‘sole’mates realised we can all do simple things like cooking a romantic veggie meal instead of meat for the person you fancy; or going for a nice walk or cycle instead of driving somewhere for a date. It’s important not to make people feel guilty about their lifestyle choices, but we feel we helped lots of people make better choices in a creative way.”
Degrees Cooler
Reading University Student Union also organised an entire week of action, including Carbon Speed Dating. Both Reading and UEA are part of a national project aimed at improving the environmental behaviour of over 90,000 students. People & Planet’s Go Green Week is a central part of Degrees Cooler, the NUS-led project which encourages students and staff to save energy, fly less, eat more sustainably and recycle more.
Carbon-cutting chat-up lines
Similarly saucy events were held at cheesy clubnights and student unions up and down the country throughout the week and People & Planet groups aim to engage over 10,000 students with their love-themed activities and eco chat-up lines. Go Green Week is a regular feature of People & Planet’s campaign to reduce the environmental impact of the higher education sector which is responsible for over 3 million tonnes of CO2 every year, and over 1 million car journeys daily.
Andrew Taylor, a UEA student who also works for People & Planet, said:
“We wanted to organise something fun which reaches out beyond the usual suspects in Go Green Week. To make a real impact, every single one of us needs to start showing the climate some love by reducing our personal carbon footprints. Students learn a lot of their lifestyle behaviour whilst at university. And let’s face it, it’s much more fun turning down the lights or the heating if you’ve got someone else to keep you warm!”
