News

Staff and students can now drop off their old batteries, laptops, devices, toothbrushes, DVDs, plastic bags and more for recycling anytime at UQ’s new station, which opened in October thanks to a bright idea from UQ Sustainability’s waste team.

Purple, green, pink, yellow, red and more! A rainbow of colour is now available to light up the Great Court’s historic cloisters, thanks to upgrades completed by the UQ Sustainability and Infrastructure teams this month using the latest LED technology.

We’re customising innovative technologies, and developing and piloting new ways of tracking water usage, to lead by example when it comes to what a large institution can achieve.

With south-east Queensland lashed by rain and storms during the past week, it may seem odd to be talking about drought and water conservation. But such is the reality of the Australian climate. What can you do to help save water?

Less than 0.5mm in diameter, billions of tiny particles known as microplastics are having an enormous impact on the world’s oceans and harming marine life up and down the food chain. What can you do about it?

Only five years ago, most people’s transport choices were limited to car, bus or train, bicycle or walking. Today, electric bikes and scooters have rocketed up the options list. And they have the potential to solve many of our commuting and environmental challenges.

Many of us aspire to live more sustainably. Cutting waste, using resources responsibly and buying ethically are common resolutions, which can make a big difference to our environmental impact. But can we also enrich our individual commitments by embracing a more holistic philosophy?

Working hard behind-the-scenes to facilitate the shutdown of all non-essential services during the COVID restrictions, UQ’s energy management team achieved a 13% energy usage reduction year-on-year between April and June.

When maximum temperatures exceed 25°C for eight months of the year, air conditioning becomes a major energy consumer. At UQ Gatton, a new central energy plant is keeping cooling systems chilled more efficiently across the campus.