Sustainability

The aims of the Green Flag certification scheme are the following:

• Improve the environment of the University and reduce waste and use of water and energy
• Enhance public spirit within the University
• Increase environmental awareness through education and projects inside and outside the classroom
• Strengthen democratic work methods in the management of the University when decisions are made in relation to students
• Provide students with education and skills to address environmental affairs
• Enhance international solidarity and language skills
• Connect the University to its community, businesses and the public

Objectives and categories of the programme

The programme focuses on reducing environmental impact from the operations of the University and strengthening the environmental awareness of employees.
By participating in the Green Steps programme, we have the opportunity to carry out active environmental work in a systematic way. The programme is divided into five steps. Each step consists in around 20–40 measures that institutions must implement.

Objectives:

• Reduce environmental impact
• Strengthen environmental awareness of employees
• Increase wellbeing of employees and improve their work environment
• Reduce operating costs

Categories:

• Electricity and heating
• Transportation
• Waste sorting and waste reduction
• Procurement
• Meetings and events
• Communication and management

Brynhildur Bjarnadóttir, Associate Professor in the Faculty of Education

Brynhildur receives the award for her course Natural Science in Learning and Play. The course focuses on the concept of sustainability in a wide context. Students learn about the Earth’s ecosystem, sustainable ways of living and the impact they have on their environment. Through working on a project, students analyse their own attitudes, values and behaviour, in addition to examining their own consumer habits. Students also learn how to calculate their ecological and carbon footprint, work on ways of improvement and present ideas on changes to their own consumer habits to address the environmental and climate problems of the future. At the same time as they analyse their own lifestyle, students relate these subjects to educational work in preschools and primary schools and look at ways to work with the concepts at other educational levels.

Rachael Lorna Johnstone, Professor in the Faculty of Law

Rachael receives the award for the courses Introduction to Circumpolar Studies and Model Arctic Council. The course Introduction to Circumpolar Studies introduces students in Polar Law to various tools and methods to address the challenges of the Arctic, including climate change, pollution, biological diversity, tourism, use of natural resources and shipping. In the course Model Arctic Council, students communicate with other students in the Arctic on meetings of the Arctic Council and in simulated work, they, for example, negotiate collaborative measures to tackle environmental problems in the Arctic. The discussions this year were on marine plastic and protected areas.

Sean Michael Shully, adjunct in the Department of Natural Resource Sciences

Sean Michael Scully was awarded for his course Microbial Biotechnology (LÍÖ1106200). Sean is an adjunct within the Department of Natural Resource Sciences. His work mostly centers around the use of microorganisms and their enzymes for producing useful molecules from renewable materials.  Microbial biotechnology is a third year undergraduate course that Sean co-teaches with Jóhann Örlygsson as a part of the Biotechnology study line. This course covers a wide-range of sustainability topics related to the use of microorganisms to produce molecules ranging from antibiotics, modified proteins, and industrial chemicals such as biofuels, and active pharmaceutical ingredients. A major topic within the class is the sustainable utilization of biomass as a raw material for cultivating microorganisms and as a starting material from which to make bio-based end products. As part of the course, students are required to undertake a project in which they convert a natural resource (such as grass, seaweed, or waste) into a useful biomolecule using microorganisms or enzyme systems.

Sólveig Zophoníasdóttir and co-applicants Áskell Örn Kárason, Bjarni Jónasson and Brynhildur Bjarnadóttir

Sólveig, Áskell Örn, Bjarni and Brynhildur receive awards for the courses Learning and work with information technology, Science in learning and play, Ethics, ideas and schools and Development theories, students and learning. In the study sessions of student teachers in the first year of teacher education, work is based on the theme of sustainability in all courses and the students work together in groups on projects related to sustainability under the guidance of teachers.

2022