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Stories of Action

Check out our stories of action to learn how LUBS staff and students are making sustainability a part of everything we do.

Ecosia on Campus

In 2020, the University of Leeds became the first Russell Group university to turn its internet searches into a force for good by planting trees.

This eco-friendly initiative, known as Ecosia on Campus, was driven by a passionate group of Economics and Pharmacy students. Hugh Kendal, Zeke Marshall, and Rachel Djangmah joined forces with a shared mission: to make their university more sustainable by adopting Ecosia as their default search engine.

Thanks to their efforts, the University of Leeds has already contributed to planting over 68,000 trees. Every search made through Ecosia helps fund reforestation projects around the world, making it easy for students and staff to make a positive environmental impact simply by browsing the web.

Case Studies

Read examples of action your fellow students have taken to support LUBS' sustainability goals.

Carbon Literacy Training

Between October 2021 and July 2022, the Business School successfully delivered Carbon Literacy Training to 80 members of staff and almost 600 students. This work was led by four Student Sustainability Architects (Alex Woodford, Taqwa Elforjani, Elizabeth Jia and Akshay Sarkate) and three Staff Sustainability Champions (Sally Chan, Dr Jyoti Mishra and Elena Karali).

Walking to Zero

In June 2023, LUBS students took part in the Walking to Zero project which encouraged them to engage with the Leeds cityscape and increase sustainability awareness.

Green Action Food Co-op

The Green Action Food Co-op, located on the Northern door of the subterranean level of Leeds University Union, is a cooperative low-waste shop for dry vegan food and ingredients. Their mission is to provide people living in Leeds with a cheap and sustainable way to source healthy food.

Awards and Recognition

Our sustainability initiatives have been recognised by Net Natives' Think Student Awards, the only awards of their kind judged by students.

Best Campaign Supporting Sustainability Winner 2021

A 'Water Bottle Brief' poster competition devised by Sally Chan, Senior Teaching Fellow in Marketing with the aim of embedding sustainability in the curriculum, was awarded Best Campaign Supporting Sustainability in 2021. The winning entry saw MA Advertising and Marketing/Design students produce a poster illustrating that with every plastic bottle we throw out, we pose a threat to animals that share the ground we walk on.