Our ‘Target Zero’ campaign

Target Zero represents our mission to reduce carbon emissions and increase recycling rates. The University’s green credentials are already something to be proud of. We have taken strides in our ethical and environmental performance. This is evidenced through our ranking in the People & Planet Green League, which has risen dramatically from 124^th in 2010 to 8^th this year and our Platinum Eco campus award.

Our sustainable achievements

• Bedfordshire is a Fairtrade university
• Bedfordshire embeds sustainability into the curriculum through collaborative activities which promote to students, awareness, understanding and actions relating to sustainability and climate change
• The University has a reputation as a centre of excellence in environmental performance
• There is a growing body of research by academics at Bedfordshire showing the importance of addressing and tackling climate change
• All new buildings constructed since 2010 have achieved a BREEAM level of excellence; incorporating low carbon construction technologies, rainwater harvesting, and constructed from Green Guide rated materials
• Since 2009 the University of Bedfordshire has been generating its own renewable energy for use on campus from five solar panel installations. Nov 2010 to June 2019 that’s 435,000 kilowatt hours of renewable energy
• The University purchases all its electricity from Ofgem regulated REGO (Renewable Energy Guarantees of Origin scheme)
• We were the second university in the country to make the decision not to invest in fossil fuels. This is written into our ethical strategy and signed off by senior management.

The Target Zero mission:

To reduce our carbon emissions by a further 500 tonnes by December 2020.

The University has made huge reductions in its carbon emissions through making changes to the way it runs its estate. Since 2006, we have reduced our emissions from 6,540 to 3,930. By December 2020 we want to reduce this by a further 500 tonnes to reach our target of 3,400 tonnes.

To increase our recycling rates from 45% to 60% by December 2020.

Find out how to can help us to achieve this here.