If you are an admirer of our beautiful environment or a budding activist perhaps wanting to initiate change, then Rhiannon Brown needs your help to establish the new People and Planet society at Nottingham Trent.
What is the People and Planet Society?
As advertised through the “Exposed at Nottingham Trent” Facebook page, Rhiannon Brown posted her interest if anyone just like her would be interested in establishing a society that focused on the environment and perhaps how people could help it.
Rhiannon, 19, a second-year psychology student, said: “There are so many talented people at this university who are passionate about the environment. I think we need an organisation that gives these people a voice. We want to create an accessible community where students can share knowledge, get involved in activism, and build a more sustainable culture with each other.”
Rhiannon hopes if and when the society can be established at the university, that she hopes to hold monthly member meetings where a presentation will be given by either a society member or a person from outside the university to give the members a talk. Presentations by members would be concerned with either a specific topic or campaign that is relating to environmental or social issues.
Rhiannon added: “Whenever possible, we would love to invite people from a wide range of industries to give presentations about how they are being environmentally conscious in their work. From engineers to designers, we aim to get speakers from many different careers to share their experiences and knowledge with us.”
The application form to register the People and Planet Society officially at Trent has already been submitted, and Rhiannon is due to have a meeting with the Opportunities Coordinator. If this application is successful, then this will later be discussed at the next Societies Meeting on May 5.
Then, the NTSU Executive officers will make their final decision, and finally, the paperwork to complete and the training will be put in place for the societies first event to go ahead!
What does the society want to achieve?
In terms of what Rhiannon hopes to achieve with the society, some of the main priorities will include:
- Monthly clothes swaps to provide a sustainable and cheap alternative to clothing companies.
- Reducing meat consumption through ‘Meat Free Mondays’ and monthly plant-based nights at the SU.
- Holding the university to account on their environmental policies.
- Hosting upcycling workshops where students can learn from someone with experience in this industry and have a space to re-work old items into new ones (making room decorations, for example).
The environment is a very important of our world, and we must do everything in our power to protect it. As students, we are the next generation of adults that will be at hand for what the environment ends up like, and it is up to us whether that is a positive or negative outcome.
When Rhiannon was asked about how important it is for students to be aware of environmental issues, she said: “Most people, especially young people, are completely aware of the environmental problems facing us.
“The issue is that we don’t know where to start in fighting against them. Small individual acts aren’t enough, and big organisations often revolve around dedicated activists and media appearances. Creating this society would provide a much needed, accessible space for students to get involved.”
As said above, the future of the environment is in our hands, so we need to know how to treat it properly in order to preserve it for future generations.
Rhiannon added: “There are so many changes that need to be made, it can often feel overwhelming. That’s why we want to start by focusing on where we have power already; improving the university’s environmental policies, empowering individual students to get involved in the fight against polluters, and by making sustainable choices easier and more accessible.”
The NTU People and Planet society hope to start up during the first term of the 2021/22 academic year. So, if you are a fresher going to Trent in the autumn or a returning student, make sure to check out the NTU People and Planet society!
