Spotlight on sustainability in SEED

19 Mar 2026

How everyone in the School of Environment, Education and Development can contribute to improving our sustainability

A habitable planet is the essential enabling condition of our lives. As such, sustainability - as in sustaining the earth’s life support systems and regenerative capacity - is the vital business of all earthlings, regardless of species, discipline or sector. With climate and biodiversity breakdown accelerating, transformative actions to collectively reduce our ecological footprint and foster thriving socio-ecological systems are of the essence.

Our School has made great strides towards the university’s ‘Our Sustainable Future 2023 – 2028’ strategy, and the Manchester2035 strategy aim of achieving zero carbon Scope 1 and 2 emissions by 2038 and net zero Scope 3 emissions by 2050. However, more can and must be done. Purity and perfection are not the goal. Every effort - from each according to their means - counts. Below are some tips and resources on how you can help boost SEED’s sustainability performance, and ensure a more habitable future for all:

Teaching & learning

·       Consider the sustainability dimensions and implications of your curriculum. Employers are increasingly looking for graduates with key green skills for enabling sustainability transitions. How can you leverage your discipline’s unique approach to develop your students’ green competencies?

·       Rethinking field trips: Where appropriate, consider opting for local or virtual field trips for your unit/course, rather than long-distance carbon-intensive journeys

Research & innovation

·       Where possible, consider attending conferences/events virtually, rather than attending in person by flying. Or, consider more sustainable travel options (i.e. trains). More information can be found in the ‘SEED Sustainable Travel Policy’. The SEED Sustainable Travel Alternatives Routes Fund (STAR Fund) is available to help cover the additional costs of the sustainable travel option.

School events & operations

·       Where possible, opt for a hybrid format for greater accessibility and to reduce your event’s ecological footprint

·       Order plant-based or vegetarian catering, which on average has a substantially smaller environmental footprint than meat and dairy

·       Help reduce food waste by making sure that you register for events, and notify event organisers in plenty of time if you are no longer able to attend.

·       Switch off electronic equipment when not in use

·       Switch lights off when leaving a room

·       Help conserve water by ensuring that water taps in bathrooms and kitchen areas are properly shut off when not in use; if you spot a leaky tap, report it to estates@manchester.ac.uk

·       Think twice before printing

Sustainable and responsible use of GenAI

·       Though generative AI (GenAI) has many useful applications, it comes at a considerable social and environmental cost. Its sprawling data centers have a voracious appetite for water, energy and earth metals. The International Energy Agency estimates that a typical AI-focused data centre consumes as much electricity as 100,000 households, whilst the largest ones under construction today will consume 20 times as much. AI's demand for water is especially concerning amidst an era of 'water bankruptcy'. The UK Government's Digital Sustainability Alliance (GDSA) report highlights that AI is predicted to lead to an increase in global water usage from 1.1bn to 6.6bn cubic metres by 2027. This is equivalent to more than half of the UK’s total water usage! 

·       In light of the above, think twice before using GenAI in your teaching, research and daily life. Try to avoid indiscriminate use. When approaching a task, ask yourself: do I really need to use GenAI for this?

Visit our ‘Sustainability@SEED’ landing page and join our ‘Sustainability@SEED LISTSERV’ for more information, resources and events!

Share your ideas on SEED’s strategic sustainability vision on our padlet.