UWE Bristol has become the first university in the UK to introduce a free course about the climate emergency for all students.

The comprehensive online course was developed with students following a successful campaign led by UWE Bristol undergraduates Adam Edwards and Harry O’Higgins. They launched a petition in 2022 calling on the University to implement compulsory climate change education, arguing that every student at UWE Bristol should have climate education as part of their university experience.

Supported by The Students’ Union at UWE, the pair took their arguments to the University’s Vice-Chancellor who agreed to the development of the course in close collaboration with students.

Read about the journey to create the climate education course and why it is critical here.

What happened?

To mark the launch of the course, UWE Bristol and The Students’ Union at UWE hosted a special event ‘Are we consuming our way to climate change’, a conversation with Aja Barber on the impact of fast fashion and consumer culture on social justice and climate change.

Aja shared with UWE students her voice, experience and perspective highlighting the undercurrents of consumerism, colonialism and social inequality which are a major contributor to the climate crisis and the social and global injustice we are currently witnessing. In her book ‘Consumed’ Aja takes us deep into thinking about how social media and our cultural norms are promoting over consumption and what this means for those who produce the goods we’re buying and the impact on the environmental world.

• Over 450 students attended the event
• 66% of attendees said they were now likely to take action in their day to day lives to combat the climate crisis, this increased by 18% due to the launch event and great conversation!
• We were delighted our event hit the news

One of UWE’s own students posed questions to Aja for the launch event and lent her own experience to students’ questions during the Q&A session as an active sustainability advocate. Charlotte Watkivs is a midwifery student, but her own sustainability journey and experiences have been documented through a TEDx talk she gave in 2019 and she has given further insight to those coming to UWE by creating a series of podcasts for the University.

What did we learn at this launch event?

Climate Crisis

1. The fashion industry is responsible for 8-10% of global greenhouse gas emissions and uses a lot of natural resources (often sourced unsustainably) such as cotton, oil and water.
2. Additionally, all the polyester clothes we buy are made of plastic. When we wash our garments microfibres (very small pieces of plastic) enter our water systems. These microfibres are then consumed by fish, which we eat. The microfibres then enter our blood stream and are detrimental to our health.
3. ‘The £5 polyester garment you buy will end up in your blood. ‘ - Aja Barber

Social injustice

1. When you see that top on sale for £5, ask yourself why it is so cheap? The fabric was cut by the first person, then sewn by a second, designs added on by a third, quality checked by a fourth, packaged by a fifth, transported by a sixth, unloaded by a seventh and put on display by an eighth. Bearing in mind that is a simplified version of a very complex process, how can £5 cover the wages (that is ethical wages) of all the people who worked for you to own that garment?
2. Most garment workers earn £0.11 an hour and work in inhumane conditions.
3. Many professions in the UK have been going on strike due to the cost-of-living crisis. We all want to be paid fairly – we shouldn’t leave the fashion workers out of it.

What individual actions can you take?

1. Instead of asking ‘Where can I shop to ensure the items I buy are ethical and sustainable?’ ask yourself ‘do I NEED to buy that item?’.
2. However, we do need to replace clothes when they wear out and charity shops and eBay are a great place to buy second hand. Buying second hand can be fun and help you save money. Go on charity shop crawls with your friends and experiment with your style.
3. Change the intentions of your purchases - buy garments to wear for 5 years and not just on that one holiday or for that weekend event. Additionally, buying good quality clothes will help ensure that the garments you buy will last.
4. Research brands before you shop with them. Check that the organisation can say that everyone that works for them is paid fairly and that their garments are made with sustainable resources and thorough sustainable processes. If they don’t say anything, ask yourself why.
5. Individual action can feel pointless as we don’t see grand changes from our actions - however you are changing yourself. Every time you make an ethical and sustainable decision about what you purchase, you cause yourself to think about these issues. We all have to make changes to start thinking about the systems differently, engaging with them differently and talking about them differently. All of which will make a positive impact.
6. We can talk to friends about these issues in a way that benefits them and meets them were they are at. If you notice a friend saving up for a brand-new designer garment – let them know they can get it cheaper and still good quality second hand - point out the perks instead of drilling in the negatives.

I missed this event, can I catch up?

You can watch back the event via this link.

How do I sign up to the climate education course?

UWE Climate Education starts here. Join the conversation, hear the uncomfortable truths and find a place of action and community that can help you feel empowered to act in the face of the climate crisis.

Climate change will shape how we work in every sector. Being ready to face these challenges is key.

Here at UWE Bristol want to equip you to face these challenges. The climate education course is a great first step to starting this journey.

The course aims to empower you to choose to take action on helping to prevent, mitigate and adapt to climate change and see the connection to the choices and future career paths you may take.

Don’t be discouraged about the climate crisis - think of it as a brand-new challenge and an opportunity.

In Aja Barber’s words ‘Build a world we can all get behind’.

Go to Blackboard to enrol on the climate education course now.

 How else can I get involved at UWE Bristol?

Contact The Students’ Union’s Green Team to get involved in projects and events: https://www.thestudentsunion.co.uk/getinvolved/thegreenteam/

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/about/values-vision-strategy/sustainability

https://www.uwe.ac.uk/about/values-vision-strategy/sustainability/climate-education-course