Transition Heriot-Watt is an independent community association and CCF funded project working within the community at Heriot-Watt University. Since May 2011 its focus has been accelerating and facilitating change with staff and students to walk, cycle, take the bus and car-share more, reducing carbon emissions and make it cheaper, easier, healthier and faster to get here. Events and information mean people can make informed choices around how they travel.
This initial project has caught the imagination of the community, has the support of staff and students, and created interest in other areas of sustainability around food waste, greener transport, energy conservation and re-use of items within the community.
- Better Energy ConservationWith the help of the Energy Saving Trust & Students Union THW plan to engage students in Halls, flats and homes to reduce energy bills, give advice on insulation, provide low-energy light bulbs, computer switch-off plugs, energy meters, shower timers and promote a general switch-off, linking into national EST programmes. A high carbon-saving strand to our work.
- More CyclingCycling maintenance workshops will mend cycles and encourage people to learn how to do so too, raising the profile of cycling. Cycles abandoned by students will be refurbished and loaned for free, with free cycle training sessions, weekly cycle ride-outs and bicycle group commutes – all new activities for THW.
- Recycling, Re-Use and WasteWe want to encourage recycling to a much higher extent, and cut down on packaging and food waste in outlets. We will provide and promote re-usable drinks containers for hot and cold drinks.
- Peer Mentoring & Measuring Behavioural ChangeTHW will work as a peer mentor to other university and community groups and help develop more quantitative ways of measuring behaviour change.
Learn more about Transition here
We have received funding from Natural Scotland, the Climate Challenge Fund.