#greenimpact

Key Challenges:

Waste

Renewable Energy

Using less Energy

1.What needs to happen is a lifestyle change (Frank Trentmann “Empire of Things” Talk). In an affluent economy it is all about the market , needs are created that were not there before. Especially in Western societies “value is to have something you didn't even know existed before“

Lifestyle & urban pattern change

prolonged relationship with consumption, deep consumers

Framework

2. Circular economy. The European Union implemented an action plan to  create a more circular economy. The entire product life cycle needs to be included: 

Reduce, reuse, recycle

(source:http://www.europarl.europa.eu/thinktank/infographics/circulareconomy/public/index.html) 

see Amsterdam as city that brands itself as circular economy model city.

(Source: https://hollandcircularhotspot.nl/wp-content/uploads/2018/09/Publicatie_CE_Engels.pdf?fbclid=IwAR3RdgdQoOnHAReC7sMU7cOpI0kBp-5E1vvn4FgQ80bj4HA-aCbecZMOTOs)

Sharing economy

What is going on in Maastricht already?

The city of Maastricht has several strengths but also weaknesses that we need to be aware of in order to build on our project. 

Strengths: 

- Creative City: Maastricht has shown since few years its ability to redevelop and reuse former industrial spaces and turn them into creative and cultural spaces (e.g. Sphinxkwartier- Belvedere)

- Dutch City: under the umbrella of following Dutch and EU Sustainability priorities and commitments.The Netherlands are considered as the pioneer of the implementation of the circular economy within the EU. 

- Student Organizations: the students account almost 20% of the Maastricht population. This educated community is very active in developing sustainable and environmental organizations and raising awareness. 

- University backdrop: attracts people with diverse backgrounds (sciences, sustainable development, arts and heritage...) that care about these issues. The University is playing an important role as well into educating the future generations on these environmental and sustainable topics. 

The logos below correspond to several student led organizations within Maastricht that are actively advocating for improving lifestyles, wasting less, consuming smarter, being more sustainable and raising awareness. 

Weaknesses

- Lack of communication between organizations

- Need to involve more locals and local businesses

Urban Space in Maastricht

This space is centrally located and easily accessible for everyone. This should be a place where different groups (student organizations, local businesses, representatives of the municipality, community) can come together and have a knowledge exchange about the important environmental related topics.

Source:(https://www.fundainbusiness.nl/kantoor/maastricht/object-48506788-vrijthof-21/)

Solution

--> Create an organization that is able to gather all the stakeholders involved in Maastricht’s environmental issues, have discussions, think of doable policies, try and change habits

meet once a month

have a varied program of lectures, talks, art exhibitions, workshops

Make sure environmental and sustainability issues are not only dealt with in the university context, but also by the local community ( Maastricht Zero Waste). It is important to listen to the local community as well. 

use the aforementioned urban space as a “think tank” for: stakeholders, student community, space for artists to create art, which deals with the people’s impact on the environment.

Possible event, apart from the meetings: 

- Sustainable week in collaboration with students 

- Public Art: ( inspired by Júlia Kapronczai and Erika Végh Plastic Waste Labyrinth) involve students from Van Eyck Academy to create, within the context of the sustainable week, an exhibition, art in a public space that deals with plastic waste of the city for example. Either in the urban space we selected or use another vacant spot, the Sphinxkwartier, collaborate with them.

Green Impact is a sustainability competition taking place in Student's Unions and Universities across the country that has been running for the past couple of years.

Taking part in teams consisting of staff and students, Green Impact involves completing many small actions around their department or building. This can involve taking part in national sustainability campaigns, setting all printers to print duplex by default, running creative events and volunteering some time with community groups.

Ensuring it's always clear understanding what can be done to make the department or building more sustainable, an online workbook is used to guide and record these actions, thus breaking down the complexity and confusion often surrounding sustainability.

Come the end of year, the points from each team's progress gets added up on the workbook, and an awards and celebratory party is held.

Sound good? We think so!

For more info, follow the Green team on Twitter: @yoursugreen