Tarsh Turner (21) is looking forward to learning more
sustainability tips to implement in her North Dunedin flat
at a course for students next month. Photo by Jane Dawber.
Faced with a transient lifestyle and tight budget,
students often struggle to make permanent sustainable changes
to their homes.
A new student-specific sustainability course, run by Dr
Maureen Howard, will offer solutions to these challenges.
The six-week course, run in the Otago University Students
Association Clubs and Societies Centre, will begin next
month.
Sustainable transport, electricity savings, growing
vegetables, reducing waste and easy systems for waste sorting
and recycling will be covered. Dr Howard had run similar
courses under the Sustainable Living Programme, which proved
popular with the community.
However, rather than covering permanent changes to homes,
such as installing solar generation, the focus would be on
"things people can do in a rental situation" such as planting
gardens in containers and making garden-free compost.
"Students who want to live more sustainably are faced with
the challenge of living in rental properties where they can't
make huge changes to where they live.
"Most are also living on a very tight budget. Our solutions
reflect these challenges," she said.
Thirty people had signed up for the course so far.
Among them was Tarsh Turner, an environmental management
student who wanted to learn more sustainability tips.
She found it hard to make changes in a flatting situation and
hoped to learn of some different ones on the course.
Students in general were interested but it was often put in
the "too hard basket" because of time, lack of interest from
other flatmates, and the inability to make permanent changes
while renting, she said.
ellie.constantine@odt.co.nz
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