This booklet has been designed and written by students at Leeds University. Through it we hope to help you to understand the impacts that our day-to-day lives are having on the planet, and we offer some possible solutions to the problems we are contributing to.
The guide is also a one-stop reference to many aspects of life in Leeds. You can find out how to get involved and meet loads of people in the Union’s ethical societies (p.3) as well as through activities outside of the University. You can discover fun places to visit for the day on the ‘Open Spaces’ map (p.12) and find out where to shop ethically on the ‘Green services and shops’ map (p.17). Have a look at whatever takes your fancy and when you have eventually read about all you want to please recycle the guide, or better still pass it on.
Loads of students are already doing what they can. Getting involved really can be fun and rewarding.
If you want to know more then try Patrick Whitefield in his far more detailed guide ‘The Earth Care Manual’:
“I feel it is important not to feel guilty about our lifestyles, the time to make a change is when the positive desire to do so grows to a point where it is greater than the discomfort of giving up an old habit. If we take the trouble to learn about the ecological impact of our daily lives the process of lifestyle change happens naturally. Then it is not a self-imposed penance but a process of liberation”
Patrick Whitefield 2004
www.permaculture.co.uk
One of the most important things to consider is that we each only take our fair share of what the Earth can provide. The richest 20% of the world’s population already consume 80% of the Earth’s resources. As the rest of the world develops we are all going to have to be more careful about what we take. Although it’s a great start, just recycling isn’t going to be enough; radical social change is needed. As part of this we all need to work towards making bigger changes to our lifestyles such as cutting down car and plane use. By doing this, we can collectively make a real difference.
The idea of a website with more comprehensive and updated info has been suggested but unfortunately we don’t have the time and resources. If you are interested in helping sort a website, have any comments or feedback, or would like to get involved with next year’s version please edit/update these pages or email unigreen@leeds.ac.uk
