Students put to work on sustainable campuses

ABU DHABI // Students from four universities will work to make their campuses more sustainable as part of an initiative by the Environment Agency Abu Dhabi.

The 25 students, from Zayed University and three Higher Colleges of Technology, have been trained to measure their campus’s environmental footprint and develop a plan to reduce it.

Sponsored by plastics maker Borouge, the Sustainable Campus Initiative is an extension of a programme EAD is already running in schools across Abu Dhabi.

“EAD is proud to build on this achievement with the Sustainable Campus Initiative, which will further empower students to make positive environmental impacts and advocate for a sustainable future,” said Razan Al Mubarak, secretary general of the agency.

The four teams are focusing on five key priority areas – water use, waste, energy, climate change and the sustainable use of land.

Students from Zayed University have chosen to work on climate change and land issues, while the team from the Women’s College of the HCT will assess waste output of the campus in Khalifa City.

Those from the Men’s College in Madinat Zayed will assess the building’s water use, while students from the Women’s College in Ruwais will assess energy use.

The first phase is set to end in November, after which EAD plans to open it more universities.

newsdesk@thenational.ae