Putting the spotlight on sustainability

A number of student clubs at Victoria University of Wellington have joined forces to host Sustainability Week—a series of events to promote sustainability action.

The Sustainability Week working group
The Sustainability Week working group. Top row (L-R): Aimee Clark, Julia Budd, Konstantina Vasileva, Amber Sisarich, Liam Daly, Amber Brooks, Tessa Jacobsen-Grocott, Kiera Jones. Bottom row: Abi Hart, Beau Child, Lani Rotzler-Purewa, Bee Tucker, Katharine Woolrych, Te Rangi Waaka. Absent: Jayde McIlroy Wattam, Marina Chevalier, Treivaan Taiapa, Rebecca Sandlant, Sienna Kelly.

Sustainability Week kicks off on Monday 28 May, and includes daily events looking at issues such as climate change, plastic pollution, the environmental footprint of the meat and dairy industry, and the future of the world's oceans.

The week is a collaboration between a range of clubs on campus, including Victoria Development Society, Plastic Diet, VegVUW, UN Youth New Zealand, Generation Zero and Forest & Bird Youth, with support from Victoria University of Wellington Students' Association (VUWSA) and the University’s Sustainability Office, and guidance from Te Rōpū—a group of students helping to guide the organisation of the week along Te Tiriti o Waitangi principles.

Co-chairs of the organising group, Katharine Woolrych and Liam Daly, say the week started off as a concept and quickly progressed into a large organisational endeavour.

“Instead of having events throughout the year, we thought it would be more powerful to combine them all into one larger event,” says Liam. “It’s really exciting.”

The week features 13 free events and various other activities, including a climate change panel with Green Party co-leader Hon James Shaw and Wellington Mayor Justin Lester, documentary screenings, art installations, petition signings, vegan taste testing, reusable coffee cup discounts, giveaways and talks from ethical and environmental organisations, and a week-long raffle to raise money for Common Unity Project Aotearoa.

A team of more than 80 volunteers will help the week’s activities run smoothly.

“Our key aim of the week is to promote personal change—to give people the resources and knowledge to make small, habitual changes to their life that are kinder to the environment, like refusing a straw or buying vegetables that aren’t packaged in plastic,” says Katharine. “We want to make it accessible to as many students as we can.”

Sustainability Week came to life in parallel with the development of a sustainability super group. The group is a network of sustainability-orientated student clubs on campus—in addition to the above clubs, it includes Pipitea Community Garden and VUW Climate Picnic.

“The super group will look at long-term initiatives. It’s great that the clubs have banded together—it shows how important sustainability is to students,” says Liam.

Andrew Wilks, Victoria’s Sustainability Manager, says: “The University aims to inspire leaders for a sustainable future. Sustainability Week is a great example of the passion and commitment of our outstanding students.”

For more information on Sustainability Week, including the timetable of events, see the Facebook event.