A Student Sustainability Perspective with Jennifer Ainger

Sustainability at the University of Liverpool

I’ve been involved in sustainability all my life, from being the class eco representative in primary school, to founding the sustainability society in my secondary school, so it was only logical that I joined the sustainability society at university. The Liverpool University Veterinary Sustainability Society was founded in 2021, and I am president this year.

Over the past three years the Liverpool University Veterinary Sustainability society has:

• Organised litterpicks- on beaches, in student residential areas and on campus. We received funding in our first year to purchase our own litterpickers, hi-vis vests and safety gloves which we lend to students for the duration of the event
• Provided information on cycling and walking routes to our Leahurst campus
• Assisted with a student and staff workshop to implement sustainability onto the curriculum- this was successful, and every second year now has 6 hours of timetabled professional skills teaching and workshops that specifically focuses on the UN sustainable development goals and how these relate to the veterinary sector. Group activities are held during which students propose a product, service or initiative to act as a solution to a sustainability challenge facing the veterinary sector.
• Hosted talks from external speakers, Vet Sustain’s Jen Gale, Dor Nagyof, and a very popular session on regenerative farming and calf-at foot dairying from farmer Huw Foulkes and vet Grace Mulhearn
• Created a dress swap page for the formals, to try and reduce the amount of clothes that will be bought for the events and only worn once
• Hosted a ‘crafternoon’ with our wellbeing representative and peer supporters. Students did small (often animal-themed) craft projects, made from egg cartons, twigs, toilet rolls and bottle corks. Linked to health and wellbeing, this was a place for students to ‘switch off’ from the academic stress with mindful activities as well as seek peer support in a relaxed environment if they needed it
• Helped facilitate a plant workshop on the Leahurst campus- students could drop in on their lunch breaks to pot a small plant, learn about the care of their plant and take it home with them

Beyond these, we act as a means of communication between the main veterinary student society, the staff and the students. We also have a member of committee each year who is our Vet Sustain representative. We want to be able to get to the stage where sustainability is always a thought in the actions we take, leading to these values becoming embedded in our everyday practice.

In terms of the wider university, there is not a sustainability society (run by students, for students), but there are sustainability branches of the main university and the guild of students. They offer ‘give it a go’ sessions for beekeeping and gardening, help run the ‘Leave Liverpool Tidy’ campaign, host swap shops on campus, UN sustainable development goals curriculum mapping, ‘student switch off’ competition in halls and host a monthly climate action network meeting.

We are very keen as a student society to improve and do more, if you have any suggestions as to what we could be doing more, or things you think would have improved your time at university, we are always open to ideas. Or if you would like to give a talk about how you champion sustainability in your practice or sector in the industry, please get in touch.

You can contact the society on: [email protected]

Our Instagram: @l.u.v.s.s (Liverpool University Veterinary Sustainability Society)

Veterinary Green Discussion Forum

I was also very kindly invited along to the Veterinary Green Discussion Forum on the 18th and 19th of June this summer, hosted by the Webinar Vet. This year’s was held at the Wildfowl and Wetland Trust’s London Wetland Centre in Barnes with the theme of creating a circular economy.

There were a number of talks and presentations, as well as a ‘game’ based on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals. A guided tour of the nature reserve was a highlight of the event. The site was formed from four disused Victorian reservoirs and first opened in 2000. It is now site of scientific interest and is home to many different species of birds. They also have 4 Dexter cattle and some sheep who graze the land, creating ditches, ridges, and furrows. These provide ideal nesting areas for wading birds in the summer months, and in winter, when the marsh is flooded, the different depths of water provide ideal feeding conditions for some birds.

My main takeaway from this conference was that there are a surprising number of achievable ways we, as veterinary professionals, can make the veterinary industry more sustainable. I also learnt that this doesn’t just start and end with general practice, but also with the wider industry including insurance, drugs companies and equipment manufacture. It gave a fantastic overview of the diversity of professions involved within the veterinary industry. For a student on placement, this level of insight into the scope of sustainable practice associated with the profession is usually limited to the staff in practice. This conference presented an opportunity for highlighting the value of linking with industry partners to have a more holistic approach to the sustainability of veterinary practice.

More information

The UN sustainable development goals game: https://cocreateimpact.com/2030sdgsgame/

The leave Liverpool Tidy campaign: https://www.liverpoolguild.org/opportunities/sustainability/leave-liverpool-tidy/