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What you can do to support sustainability
There are lots of ways you can be more sustainable – from reducing your water consumption to travelling more sustainably. Check out our list of sustainable actions you can take today.
- Turn off lights when you are the last to leave a room and when there is enough natural light
- Shut down your computer at the end of use, especially before weekends and holidays
- Use the stairs instead of the lift when only going a few floors
- Unplug devices when they are charged
- Replace lightbulbs with LED
- Wear clothing appropriate for the season
- Take shorter showers and use cold machine washes for clothes
- Turn off the water when soaping your hands and brushing your teeth
- Report all water leaks on campus to estates@aut.ac.nz
- Turn off the tap when rinsing dishes and containers
- Take shorter showers (under 4 minutes)
- Fill the sink to wash dishes, or fill your dishwasher and avoid pre-rinsing dishes
- Wash only full loads of clothes, or hand wash if there are only a few items
- Sort your waste into the right bins
- Avoid buying plastic packaged items – especially plastics 3-7. Choose glass, tin, compostable or unpackaged instead
- Take your own drink bottle, coffee cup and container when heading out
- Avoid printing – use digital instead
- Before you buy, think about how the product was made and where it will end up
- Ditch your car for sustainable modes of transport instead: try walking and biking, public transport or carpooling. Full time students get a discount on public transport in Auckland
- Consider electric if buying a new vehicle
- Catch AUT’s shuttle if you need to travel between the South and City Campuses
- Buy food that is locally grown or produced
- Buy food from bulk food shops that are zero waste and/or with sustainable packaging
- Make ethical considerations when buying food – like buying Fairtrade and Trade Aid goods
- Choose healthy food options that include lots of fruit and vegetables
- Choose energy efficient light bulbs for your home
- Learn about building materials and what poses risks to people’s health and the ecosystem
- Use furniture at home, AUT and in other places gently to help it last longer
- Choose products that have Fairtrade or other environmental certification where possible
- Choose unpackaged or sustainably packaged products
- Buy local where possible to support local businesses and reduce transport related CO2e emissions
- Get to know common pest plants and remove them from your property
- Report pest plants on an AUT campus to sustainability@aut.ac.nz
- Learn about biodiversity in New Zealand and why it’s important
- Plant bee friendly plants
- Get involved in community planting or clean up days
- Join your local predator control group
How do you make an impact?
Buy from local businesses who serve food in compostable packaging
Ditch your car and use a bike to get to uni instead – we have bike racks conveniently located on campus
Learn about building materials and what poses risks to people’s health and the ecosystem (Photo by Jason Mann)
Buy food that is locally grown and produced
Get involved in community planning or clean up days
Green Impact programme
Join AUT’s Green Impact sustainability change programme, and work in teams to complete environmental, social and economic area sustainability actions.
AUT Community Gardens
Participate in this AUT-wide initiative that aims to promote sustainability, nutrition and holistic wellbeing in a collaborative environment.
Contact us
Have questions or want to get involved? Contact the sustainability team: sustainability@aut.ac.nz