Mayo Green Campus – Committee

ATU Mayo Green Campus Committee

The Green Campus committee operates as a voluntary group. The committee is open to all staff and students who wish to participate. The 2024/2025 committee is as follows:

Chairperson: Dr Deirdre Garvey, Head of Department of Environmental
Humanities and Social Sciences
Vicechair: Dr Carmel Heaney (Health Sciences lecturer)
Secretary: Dr Yvonne McDermott (History lecturer)
Treasurer: Vacant – to be filled at AGM 2025
Co-ordinator Anne Wiseman
SU Mayo Campus Vice President Christina McGuinness
Energy: Anne Wiseman (STARS Coordinator)
Litter and Waste: Vacant – to be filled at AGM 2025
Water: Anne Wiseman (STARS Coordinator)
Biodiversity: Dr Margaret O’Riordan (Geography lecturer)
Transport: Dr Davy Walsh (Applied Social Care lecturer)
Climate Action Tony Geraghty (OE Student)

The committee is open to students also with the Student Union Vice President having a role on the committee. The Climate Officer for the academic year 2024/2025 is a second year Outdoor Education student. All students are invited to attend and participate in monthly meetings and encouraged to do so. Student participation in Green Campus projects is high with many projects initiated by students themselves. Links to module assessment is a crucial element of student participation in and initiation of projects.

ATU Mayo Green Campus Charter

Energy Conservation

• Switch off lights when leaving an office or classroom.

• Change our lights to LED when they are faulty or when refurbishing work is being carried out

• Reduce energy consumption by e.g., boiling correct amount of water.

• Power down PCs, printers etc. each evening, at weekends and particularly before academic holidays.

• Use stairs instead of the lifts.

Water Conservation and Protection

• Monitor usage and reduce water consumption where possible.

• Be aware of the dual flush capabilities of toilets.

• Use FREE filtered water (reverse osmosis) in canteen, Area 15, staffroom & nursing foyer instead of buying single-use plastic bottled water and drinks.

• Report dripping taps, leaking pipes and broken toilets at reception.

• Install water butts to harvest rain in our Sanctuary and Courtyard gardens.

• Litter and waste

• If printing or photocopying use two-sided mode and recycle printer toner/ink cartridges.

• Reduce waste by increasing recycling and upcycling e.g., clothing.

• Hold an annual student swap shop day on Campus.

• No more disposable cups in canteen

• Educate about putting litter in the correct waste bins during Induction and Green weeks.

• Buy and use eco mugs (available from SU) to buy drinks in canteen

• Use the two Mayo Co. Co.-sponsored cooled water fountains (outside canteen & in Nursing foyer), again to reduce single use plastic bottles Organise monthly litter picks.

Transport and Travel

• Walk or cycle whenever possible.

• Avoid driving alone; share the journey, pick someone up.

• Staff members can avail of the cycle-to-work scheme.

• Small drying-room is available for cyclists and walkers.

• Extra bike rack has been added to Community Garden area, outside St Mary’s hall.

• Carpooling parking spaces available for staff and students at side of canteen.

• Two e-car charging points available at front of campus.

• Use video-conferencing where possible in lieu of travel.

Biodiversity

• Maintain the Sanctuary and Courtyard gardens and support planting of species with high biodiversity potential.

• Celebrate nature on campus through creative events and exhibits.

• Take a walk in our Woodland Trail.

• Support ethical farming, shop small and local from zero-waste companies that value the environment.

• Support the All-Ireland Pollinator Plan and establish a wildflower meadow.

• Support the swift conservation project.

Climate Action

• Continue improvements in energy efficiency towards 2030.

• Organize and host events to highlight the need for climate action change, fostering citizen engagement and community leadership.

• Existing online courses

• Student Digital Badge Introduction to the SDGs Dashboard | NTUTORR (mydigitalbackpack.ie)

• SDG MOOCs https://freecourses.atu.ie/login/index.php

• Certificate in the Sustainable Development Goals, Partnership, People, Planet and Prosperity Certificate in The Sustainable Development Goals, Partnership, People, Planet and Prosperity

• New course development

• Post Graduate Certificate in Business Sustainability Leadership

The Green Campus Committee Officers – Contact Information

Administrators

• Chair – deirdre.garvey@atu.ie

• Vicechair – carmel.heaney@atu.ie

• Secretary – yvonne.mcdermott@atu.ie

• Treasurer – hazel.walker@atu.ie

• Co-Ordinator – anne.wiseman@atu.ie

Flags

• Biodiversity – margaret.oriordan@atu.ie

• Climate Change – Tony Geraghty

• Energy – anne.wiseman@atu.ie

• Litter & Waste anne.wiseman@atu.ie

• Transport – davy.walsh@atu.ie

• Water – anne.wiseman@atu.ie