GGAA 2013 - Smaller Institutions - Unitec Institute of Technology - Winner

Going Green at Unitec!

Launching its Environmental Sustainability Strategy in 2011 with an environmental fund for staff and a Going Green campaign to reinforce a culture of sustainability for students and staff.

Unitec kick-started it’s Environmental Sustainability Strategy in 2011 with a $100,000 environmental fund for staff and students leading to immediate implementation of projects across faculties and campus. Unitec’s Going Green campaign then injected more fun into green initiatives with a Green Gorilla mascot by focusing on feel good initiatives. Visible activities and permanent installations like carpool car parks,  recycling stations, tree labels, staff mini bins, a free book-a-bike pilot, stream planting and communication around these were used to demonstrate, create, and reinforce a culture of sustainability for students and staff. The campaign has been a great success with an increase in the number of staff who perceive Unitec as environmentally friendly, over 200 eco reps, over 160  students and staff signed up to carpool and the campus well on track to meet its waste reduction targets with substantial electricity, water, waste and paper savings.