Think Green
Think Green is our mission to make iQ a greener place to live and work, and we’re all in this one together. There are many ways you can minimise your impact on the environment, with just simple changes to your daily routine making a big difference.
We’re appreciating all your efforts to recycle your rubbish, helping to make iQ the greenest student accommodation around. Be sure to separate your general waste from your recyclables or the whole system falls down. See what you can do.
LIGHTS
Please switch them off, it makes a bigger difference than you might think
Take action Take action
If you’re wondering what we’ve been doing for the cause, there’s been a lot going on behind the scenes. Run the numbers…
3,000,000
Since launching Think Green in Dec 2018, we’ve saved 3,000,000 kWh in electricity
25,000
25,000 LED lamps installed, with 70% of our lights now LED
80,000,000
80,000,000 pints of water have been saved by fixing leaks and fitting shower restrictors
77
77 tonnes of items have been donated to the British Heart Foundation, diverting them from landfill and raising £136,000
100
100% of our electricity supply comes from renewable sources in the UK
1,000,000
1,000,000 kWh per year saved by eight large-scale LED lighting installations
You’ll be seeing plenty more about Think Green around your site soon, but don’t wait for Think Green Week (hint) to get going… Think Green and feel good now.
How you can take action
Lights
- Switch off lights when you leave your room, even for short periods
- Report lights that never seem to go off to your site team
- Turn off unnecessary lights – don't assume lights in common areas are on sensors
- Maximise daylight when the days get longer, and turn off lights
- Choose a single LED lamp, rather than multiple ceiling lights
Electricals
- Turn lights and electrical items off when you leave the room
- Choose the most efficient version of any technology, from hairdryers to cars
- Turn things off completely, especially if you're away for a while – remember standby uses energy
- Have a movie night with friends – it uses one TV rather than six, and it's good for mental health too
- Take the stairs instead of the lift
Heat
- Turning the thermostat down by one degree can reduce energy consumption by 10%
- Don't open windows when the heating is on
- Report heating faults and radiators that don't go off to site teams
- Keep radiators clear to allow the heat to circulate
- Keep curtains and blinds closed during the day to avoid heat gain
- Close curtains and blinds at dusk to keep heat in
- Make sure heating and air conditioning aren't fighting each other
- Put a jumper on, before putting the heating on
- Cosy knitted and faux fur throws are a good way to warm up
- Cold feet keep you cool, warm feet will help keep your whole body warm
Water
- Shower for a shorter time
- Don’t flush things you could bin – flushing single use wipes, cotton buds, and even spiders wastes water and blocks sewers
- Turn the tap off when you brush your teeth
- Don't run the tap to get a glass of water – keep a jug in the fridge
- Report dripping taps and constant filling of toilets
Recycle
- Reduce, Reuse, Recycle
- Use our onsite recycling facilities
- Invest in reusables like coffee mugs and water bottles
- Buy recycled content items: tissues, plastic packaging, glass
- Say no to single use plastics like disposable cutlery, and choose food with minimal packaging
- Donate your unwanted belongings to charity – you can use our onsite British Heart Foundation donation points. BHF accepts a wide range of items, and even ruined clothes and shoes will be sent for reprocessing
- Take even ruined clothes to charity shops - they will send them for reprocessing
- Fix it, don't throw it – upcycle, repurpose, reuse
- Choose reusable wipes, face cloths, cleaning cloths – not single use ones
- Reuse leftovers to create new meals
- Opt for reusable boxes and tubs not sandwich bags, or cling film
- Eat less meat: the farming is far more energy intensive, and it's healthier
Shop
- Use a bag for life
- Don't waste food: 2 for 1 is only a good deal if you don't throw half of it away
- Choose eco-friendly cleaning and beauty products
- Choose refillable products and those with minimal packaging
- Look for sustainable materials in clothing - many fashion retailers do special lines
- Choose natutal materials over plastic: bamboo toothbrush, soya wax candles, paper cotton buds… Plant a tree as a gift
- Buy local Choose locally grown foods for lower food miles