{"id":4868,"date":"2026-02-03T10:04:10","date_gmt":"2026-02-03T10:04:10","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-sr\/?p=4868"},"modified":"2026-02-10T08:12:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-10T08:12:26","slug":"eco-champion-coordinators-making-a-difference-with-sustainability-and-wellbeing-campaigns","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.manchester.ac.uk\/bmh-sr\/2026\/02\/03\/eco-champion-coordinators-making-a-difference-with-sustainability-and-wellbeing-campaigns\/","title":{"rendered":"Eco Champion Coordinators making a difference with sustainability and wellbeing campaigns"},"content":{"rendered":"

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To achieve the University\u2019s ambitious sustainability goals,\u00a0student participation and contribution are essential,\u00a0yet their impact is often overlooked.\u00a0In this blog, we shine a spotlight on two Eco Champion Coordinators who are making a real difference on campus by designing monthly themed campaigns, hosting events, and inspiring staff and students through sustainability activities.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What are Eco Champions?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Sara Shaqiri (4th\u00a0year\u00a0MSci\u00a0Genetics student) and Yixuan Dong (3rd\u00a0year BSc Biology student)\u00a0are Eco Champion Coordinators\u00a0working\u00a0with Dr Maggy Fostier,\u00a0FBMH\u00a0Associate Dean\u00a0for Environmental Sustainability,\u00a0to\u00a0lead\u00a0a group of\u00a0Eco Champion volunteers<\/a>. Together, they run various activities across campus to\u00a0advance the\u00a0University\u2019s Sustainability Strategy<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

At the beginning of the academic year, Sara and Yixuan developed project plans and monthly campaigns, each with a distinct theme to\u00a0broaden\u00a0staff and student\u00a0engagement\u00a0in sustainability initiatives.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Here is a snapshot of their work so far:\u00a0<\/p>\n

\"Photo

Poster showcasing several tabletop games available for loan at Stopford Reception.<\/p><\/div>\n

September:\u00a0Active\u00a0and\u00a0Healthy Living<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Students were encouraged to\u00a0explore the\u00a0link\u00a0between sustainability and\u00a0wellbeing through\u00a0outdoor activities.\u00a0Over 20 board games and picnic blankets were made available for loan at Stopford Reception,\u00a0helping\u00a0students\u00a0enjoy\u00a0screen-free breaks in the\u00a0Stopford Quad green\u00a0space.\u00a0<\/p>\n

October:\u00a0Green Halloween\/Mindful Consumption<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Halloween and Black Friday are associated with significant levels of waste and overconsumption. Sara\u00a0and Eco Champions tackled this by\u00a0hosting\u00a0a Halloween\u00a0Costume Swap, DIY decoration\u00a0workshop\u00a0and sewing workshops, where staff and students were encouraged to reuse or repair costumes instead of buying new ones.\u00a0They also ran a stall to share pumpkin recipes from various cultures, reducing pumpkin waste while engaging\u00a0people from diverse backgrounds.\u00a0<\/p>\n

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Pumpkin painting activity at the Halloween DIY Decoration workshop. (Photo credit: Sara Shaqiri)<\/p><\/div>\n

November:\u00a0Face-to-Face Sustainability Campaigns<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n

Together with Eco\u00a0Champions\u00a0and final-year Environmental Sustainability Project students,\u00a0Yixuan\u00a0ran\u00a0three\u00a0themed campaign stalls\u00a0at the\u00a0Stopford Foyer:\u00a0Plastics and Recycling, Carbon Footprint and Nature.\u00a0Staff and students\u00a0engaged\u00a0in a\u00a06R<\/a>\u00a0Recycling quiz, a carbon footprint game inspired by\u00a0How Bad Are Bananas<\/i><\/a>,\u00a0and\u00a0biodiversity discussions.\u00a0Self-grown\u00a0desk\u00a0plants and seed packs were awarded as prizes to encourage greener living.\u00a0Sara also hosted a sustainability pub quiz to raise awareness in a fun, interactive way.\u00a0<\/p>\n

December:\u00a0EcoCrafting\u00a0for a Sustainable Festive Season<\/b>\u00a0<\/p>\n

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A Christmas stocking made from old lab coats during a Christmas Eco-Crafting event. (Photo credit: Sara Shaqiri)<\/p><\/div>\n

Before the\u00a0winter break,\u00a0Sara and Yixuan co-hosted two eco-crafting events with the Social Responsibility Team and academics.\u00a0Participants\u00a0repurposed old cards into gift tags, transformed lab coats into stockings, and used natural materials for wreath-making.\u00a0A\u00a0Christmas\u00a0choir\u00a0sing-a-long,\u00a0alongside\u00a0homemade mulled cider and apple juice,\u00a0created a welcoming atmosphere that supported wellbeing during the festive season.\u00a0<\/p>\n

What\u2019s\u00a0next?\u00a0<\/h3>\n

Sara and Yixuan\u2019s work\u00a0goes\u00a0beyond standalone projects.\u00a0They\u00a0often\u00a0collaborate with groups such as\u00a0Off the Record<\/a>\u00a0and student societies, amplifying their reach. They also build on existing University initiatives, such as the\u00a0lab\u00a0coat reuse protocol<\/a>\u00a0that started a few years ago.\u00a0<\/p>\n

Although both\u00a0students\u00a0will be graduating this\u00a0summer,\u00a0they\u00a0already have\u00a0several\u00a0initiatives\u00a0lined\u00a0up for\u00a0Semester\u00a02, including\u00a0more\u00a0DIY\u00a0decoration workshops\u00a0for\u00a0Easter.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n

Next time\u00a0you\u00a0find\u00a0yourself on\u00a0campus,\u00a0keep an\u00a0eye out for\u00a0posters, promotions\u00a0and\u00a0campaign stalls\u00a0and consider\u00a0joining one of their\u00a0many\u00a0sustainable\u00a0events.\u00a0<\/p>\n

\u00a0<\/p>\n

Additional Information\u00a0<\/h3>\n