College Record 2019

REPORTS
easier access to the important information
that it contains, for example about recycling.
Facebook has been used regularly to reach
the community with information updates
and fun facts about living sustainably at
Wolfson.
In February this year, to promote action on
climate change, the team hosted a film night
screening the documentary ‘Tomorrow’
(Demain, 2015). College members took part
in the Climate Justice March in Oxford and
the Extinction Rebellion in London.
The College has taken some major steps in
recycling and to combat single-use plastic.
Additional recycling bins have been added in
places including the Library, Café and Upper
Common Room. Information stickers on
bins have been refreshed, laminated new
signs have been put up around public spaces,
with infographics of recyclable items. The
catering team has done a great job: plastic
water bottles are no longer sold in hall, new
water refill points have been added, multiuse
bottles with the College’s own filtered
water are now used for formal dinners
and other events. Biodegradable hot and
cold single-use cups have been trialled, with
plans for their wider use in the near future.
The Wolfson Nursery has likewise made
great improvements, developing its system
of waste disposal and teaching the children
about environmentally friendly practices.
funds towards replacing windows with
double glazing in the next few years. In
the meantime, we are looking into other
ways to make heating and lighting more
efficient, particularly in public areas such
as the Library. A working group has been
established across all Oxford colleges to
see how best to collaborate in developing
appropriate carbon reduction targets and a
plan of works to achieve it.
After the trials last year at making plantbased
food more available in Hall, we can
report that vegan options are now provided
at every meal during term-time alongside
vegetarian options, and consistently out
of term-time. The informal meals menu
is also now available online out of termtime,
making meal planning a lot easier. The
vegan burger has been so popular that one
Member of Common Room even wrote a
poem, shared on Facebook, entitled ‘An ode
to the Vegan Burger’.
In recognition of these and many other
improvements during the past year, Wolfson
was given the Silver Award in the NUS
Green Impact Awards at the University’s
annual Sustainability Showcase. I am
proud to have served as Environment
Representative for the last two years, and
am confident of handing over the reins to a
very capable successor at the beginning of
Michaelmas 2019.
Structural improvements are underway to
improve the sustainability of our buildings.
When roofs need repairing, they are being
enhanced with insulation. Funds have been
set aside to begin a long-term project of
gradually replacing single-glazed windows
with double-glazed ones for better efficiency.
These funds will allow some prototype
double-glazed windows to be made to
match the existing appearance and to
seek Building Protection Officer approval.
Then the College hopes to raise further
Family Society
by Chigusa Yamaura
The Society has had another
great year. It began in October
with our annual Meet and
Greet Party, welcoming new and returning
families. We also organised the always
popular Pumpkin Carving event and
Halloween Party. The children – dressed
in all varieties of costumes – went trick-
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COLLEGE RECORD 2019