Winchester Student Union Environmental Impacts – 13/14
Environmental management system standards require that organisations identify the aspects associated with activities, products and services
that they can control or influence and determine which have a significant impact on the environment.
As stated in our environment policy, Winchester Student Union has an ongoing commitment to reducing our own environmental impacts. As
such, we have documented our most significant environmental aspects and impacts.
We have used the definition of an aspect as “… an element of an organisation’s activities or products or services that can interact with the
environment”
We have used the definition of an impact as “… any change to the environment, whether adverse or beneficial, wholly or partly resulting from
an organisation’s environmental aspects”
Rating relates to the overall importance of effective management required to minimise impacts as related to legislation, policy or desirability.
High = must be managed due to legislation, lawful best practice or essential union/university policy
Medium = management required for a strategic goal required by student union practices
Low = management desirable to reflect best practice
Premises
Activity
Air management
Energy Usage
Waste streams
Water usage &
conservation
Aspects
Use of
mechanically
forced air to heat
and cool select
areas of the
building.
Electricity
consumption in
offices for
lighting/PC’s/
hardware.
Electricity
consumption for
circulation lighting.
Gas consumption
for hot water and
heating.
Transportation of
waste.
Generation of
multiple waste
streams.
Handling of
potentially
hazardous waste.
Use of water for
business and
domestic purposes.
Release of waste
water.
Impacts
Use of energy.
Co2 generation.
Climate change.
Objectives
Ensure BMS operational times are
regularly reviewed and kept to a
minimum. Investigate alternatives
to usage.
Key responsibility
GM
Rating
High
Use of energy.
Co2 generation.
Climate change.
Light pollution.
Ensure energy consuming articles
are only in operation when strictly
required and maintain strict
regime of monitoring. Ensure
hardware sourced is of the
highest efficiency/lowest
consumption practicable. Lobby
University to ensure supply via
‘greenest’ tariff.
GM
All staff users of
premises.
High
Contamination of
land by addition to
landfill.
Co2 generation
through decomp.
Co2 and harmful
gasses produce by
incineration.
Energy usage
through recycling.
Waste of resource.
Energy consumption
(related to treating
waste water)
Ensure maximum streams are
GM
recycled. Reduce non-recyclable E&E officer
streams. Ensure efficient number
of waste collection. Ensure
education regarding suitable
methods of disposal/recycling
amongst staff/students.
High
Reduce were practicable water
usage.
Med
Lobby University for better rain
water harvesting and use of
recycled grey water
GM
External exposure
Activity
Minibus usage
Aspects
Use of fossil fuels.
Manufacture,
maintenance and
disposal of vehicle.
Impacts
Usage of nonrenewable resource.
Climate change.
Co2 generation.
Litter
General litter from
trading services.
Contamination of
land and water.
Public perception.
Noise pollution
Noise from sports
training. Noise from
customers coming
to and from
services.
Public and residents
annoyance leading
to a deterioration of
relationship with the
community
Objectives
Ensure efficient driving
techniques are taught and used
and regular inspection and
maintenance of vehicle
conducted. Ensure best practice
disposal at end of vehicle life
span. Remain current with
alternatives to traditional
combustion engine.
Educate all users of impact of
littering.
Initiate litter picking schemes.
Ensure adequate litter
receptacles in key locations. Use
bio-degradable containers with
items designed to take away.
Review and implement licensed
premises strategy for noise
reduction. Organise/attend
meetings with local residence.
Educate students.
Key responsibility
VPA
Rating
Low
GM.
E&E officer.
Medium
GM
Licensees
President
High
Operations
Activity
Supply of goods by
retail
Travel for business
Aspects
Ethos of supply
chain. Supplier
awareness of
environmental
aspects/impacts.
Efficiency of supply.
Use of fossil fuels.
Document
production.
Printing of
documents/flyers/
posters. Use of
electrical
appliance. Toner
usage. Marketing
material
production.
Procurement/use of Shop/Office/Bar
energy consuming
usage of
equipment.
appliances and
fixtures/fittings.
Biodiversity & estate Our usage &
impact on the
campus
Impacts
Customer
perception. Use of
energy. Co2
production. Waste of
resource.
No renewable
resource. Co2
generation.
Use of resources. Use
of energy.
Contamination of
land through
disposal.
Climate change. Soil
erosion. Co2
generation.
Contamination to
land through
disposal.
Species diversity.
Aesthetic enjoyment.
Air quality.
Objectives
Select supplies that demonstrate
sound environmental/ethical
practice. Utilise NUSSL screening
data. Use local supply where
practicable to minimise supply
impact.
To minimise non essential travel.
To encourage lowest carbon
impact transport method
available is used.
Monitor production of printed
material and ensure runs are of a
practicable quantity. Use
recycled paper stock and
recycle all waste papers.
Key responsibility
Commercial
Managers.
E&E officer.
Rating
Medium
GM
Low
GM
Finance & Commercial
Manager
Low
Ensure energy efficiency is as
important as affordability when
considering any purchase. Ensure
all fixtures/fittings/equipment is
well maintained and used in
accordance with best practice.
To ensure that the university has a
biodiversity action plan and
ensure that both the Union and
the University actively work
towards the plan.
GM
All staff & Officers
Medium
GM
E&E Officer.
Medium