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Sustainability

The Green Officers of Clare Hall’s Graduate Student Body Committee are delighted to share this report for 2021/22:

Green initiatives this year have focused on improving the College’s green spaces. The Clare Hall Allotment has a new greenhouse, which we have equipped with shelves, a water butt, and temperature monitoring. Additionally, we have put bird feeders and bird houses throughout the College, one of which provided a home to a family of blue tits this spring. Regarding sustainability, the GSB has agreed as part of the inter-collegiate ethical banking campaign to switch our bank account to a bank that engages in fossil fuel divestment. We also continue to sit on the College’s Environment Committee.


Environment Committee and Policy

The College Environment Committee is chaired by the Domestic Bursar and includes representatives from across the College; it convenes each term to discuss environmental initiatives, improvements, and ambitions. The committee is guided by the College Environmental Policy which is reviewed every five years (next due 2026).

Suggestions, comments, and queries about the College’s approach to the environment should be sent in the first instance to domestic.bursar@clarehall.cam.ac.uk.


Recycling at Clare Hall

Our recycling or reusing setup currently covers:

Items which can be recycled with minimal interaction straight from the house:
• Regular recycling bins for plastics, glass, paper, aluminium, etc
• Food waste bins for kitchen off-cuts and expired goods
• Donations of items to charity via British Heart Foundation bins at Leslie Barnett House

Items which can be recycled or safely disposed of via the Porters’ Lodge:
• Printer cartridges
• Batteries
• Mobile phones
• Other electronics


Divestment

The Green Officers have been in regular contact with the College about their ongoing movements towards divestment. We look forward to seeing their renewed Investment Policy as a result of these conversations.