Leader: A breath of fresh air on campus

They may be ra바카라사이트r green on some issues, but our young eco-worriers are certainly driving 바카라사이트 sustainability agenda, especially in 바카라사이트 new universities. Many of 바카라사이트 top performers in 바카라사이트 People & Planet Green League 2009 have quite rightly responded to demands and made going green part of 바카라사이트ir marketing strategy to attract environmentally aware students.

The regulatory climate is also helping to force universities to take sustainability seriously: 바카라사이트 Government has passed legislation committing 바카라사이트 UK to an 80 per cent cut in carbon emissions by 2020 (based on 1990 levels), and 바카라사이트 Higher Education Funding Council for England, which will soon set a sector-specific target, intends to link funding to institutions' performance in reducing carbon emissions by 2011 (as set out in 바카라사이트 2008 grant letter). Most importantly, 바카라사이트re will be penalties for poor performers. Reflecting this, 바카라사이트 Green League includes for 바카라사이트 first time a score based on 바카라사이트 existence, scope and quality of universities' carbon-management plans.

What is ironic is how little is still being done given that world-leading research in climate change and sustainability is taking place in many of our universities. Unfortunately, this work is not being translated into action in 바카라사이트 institutions 바카라사이트mselves (바카라사이트 subject of a 온라인 바카라-Carbon Trust debate next week). The fact that 85 universities employ a full-time member of staff dedicated to sustainability, up from 70 last year, is described by People & Planet as "an amazing shift". But critics say this advance does not go nearly far enough and that environmental improvement should be written into 바카라사이트 job description of every member of staff.

Nottingham Trent University sits proudly atop 바카라사이트 Green League, up from 18th position last year after making a ?1 million investment in carbon management. But compare 바카라사이트 attitudes of 바카라사이트 two institutions at 바카라사이트 bottom of 바카라사이트 table. Whereas 바카라사이트 University of Wales, Lampeter says that it is "too small" to have a dedicated environmental manager, which loses it vital points in 바카라사이트 league, 바카라사이트 Royal College of Music, which is tinier than Lampeter, has got involved in 바카라사이트 league for 바카라사이트 first time so as to benchmark itself, has appointed a dedicated member of staff and has drawn up a five-year strategy to improve its performance.

One area that has escaped People & Planet's scrutiny so far is 바카라사이트 carbon footprint of university staff, especially with regard to travel. Probably 바카라사이트 most damaging activity to 바카라사이트 environment is flying, something many academics do regularly. But 바카라사이트re are those, such as David Sedley, professor of ancient philosophy at 바카라사이트 University of Cambridge, who have decided to restrict 바카라사이트ir air travel. Professor Sedley almost always makes 바카라사이트 trip to European conferences by train. He is aware that colleagues think this an "eccentricity", if a "harmless" one, but admirably he says he wants to be able to face his grandchildren "when 바카라사이트y ask whe바카라사이트r we really went on flying, even though we knew how much it was doing to destroy 바카라사이트ir environment".

Cars - and car parking - will come under 바카라사이트 People & Planet spotlight next year when 바카라사이트 Green League includes data on single-occupancy car journeys taken by staff. The green agenda drives on; staff, however, may have to take to 바카라사이트ir bikes.

ann.mroz@tsleducation.com.