Read more about the winner and runner up of the 2015 Sustainability Action Award for an Individual Student.
Winner of the Outstanding Student Award: Sarah Muskett
During summer 2014, Sarah visited 7 churches within the 22-church group of Methodist Churches - called ‘a Circuit - from Portsmouth and Gosport up through part of the South Downs to the Surrey-Hampshire border. The aim of the project was to identify areas of church life where sustainability could be improved and to raise awareness of the need to imbed sustainability into church life as a major community organisation already set up to ‘Think Global, Act Local’. During the 4 month period, Sarah met with key members of the churches to identify the most important environmental aspects and impacts, and presented the results to each church in an accessible report, including recommendations for short and long term targets for improvement. She also delivered two interactive sustainability workshops exploring current issues and generating enthusiasm to make lifestyle changes. Changes being made include better waste management, greater sales of fair trade goods and installing LED lighting, as well as the launch of study series on environmental issues relating to the Christian faith. The churches are now at a level to qualify for the first level of the Eco Congregation Award. Sarah also provided materials and a framework to the Circuit representatives to empower them to deliver similar reviews and improvements in other churches too.
Runner up of the Outstanding Student Award: Maxime Jullian
Last summer Maxime was hired as an intern in Water Resources Management at Green Zhejiang in Hangzhou, China. Feeling under-challenged by his work, he designed and developed an environmental campaign called ‘Blue Spring 2014’ to improve the water quality of local rivers. Having successfully gained the support of the NGO’s CEO, he received the support, funding and training needed to deliver the campaign. Maxime recruited volunteers through social media and existing networks and connections at the local university. Through a combination of site surveys, water sampling campaigns, and waste audits, the major sources of pollution were identified and tackled through awareness-raising campaigns and events, and providing better recycling facilities and signage. Children were involved in fun educational activities and inspired to work for the improvement of the environment. People took greater ownership of their environment, identifying polluted sites themselves. Blue Spring is now a yearly campaign improving water quality and the health of local people.