What’s the Big Switch?
2000 students live in Pollock Halls. Life at Pollock shapes many freshers’ first experiences of university. The Big Switch project aims to cut the carbon footprint of the Pollock community and make it an area of the city that can sustain itself for decades to come.
Many Pollock residents will be living on their own for the first time. By engaging people at this stage the Big Switch project hopes that energy and waste-saving tips that students pick up will be taken with them to private accommodation. Let’s make Pollock Halls a green beacon in the city, spreading carbon savings wider every year as more students come and go.
Here are just a few of the practical projects that are being planned. Why not get involved or just send us your ideas and feedback?
- An inter-halls energy competition with prizes for the most low-energy house. We are currently piloting a competition that will be both fair and workable.
- A huge re-use project at the end of term to collect unwanted items for every house. These are given to new students and a local homelessness charity. In 2009 we saved over 5 tonnes of clothes, books and more!
- Working with the Pollock landscaping team to plant fruit and nut trees, as well as a herb garden to supply the JMCC kitchens.
