The Student Representative Council announced the launch of RenewUNSW, an initiative they say is designed to pressure the university into increasing the amount of renewable energy used on campus.
Only a month ago, Tharunka broke the story of how UNSW has consistently lowered its targets for renewable energy usage on campus, with the latest Environmental Management Plan targeting 2.5%.
This University of Melbourne already purchases renewable energy for approximately 20% of its energy needs, whilst regional Charles Sturt University is planning to be carbon neutral by 2015.
Luke Marshall, the SRC’s Environmental Officer, told Tharunka he saw universities around the country taking up the challenge to switch to renewable energy, and said UNSW should be leading the way.
“UNSW is a brilliant university – we lead the world in renewable energy research and contribute a great deal to the global understanding of climate science, but ironically we are powered by carbon-emitting coal-fired electricity,” he said.
RenewUNSW has already launched a petition calling on the university to increase renewable energy, with further initiatives forthcoming.
For further information, see the RenewUNSW website here.
Kylar Loussikian
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