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Sustainability

General Tips

This page provides general everyday tips on how to promote sustainability at UZH. This list is not exhaustive; new information is added on an ongoing basis.

Travel

Air travel by UZH staff members accounted for approx. 36% of greenhouse gas emissions of UZH in 2018; this is the largest amount compared with other source categories. Therefore, reducing air travel has the greatest potential for lowering greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Travel by bus or train. Trains and buses are environmentally friendly ways to travel within Europe. Night trains are an option for some destinations. 
  • Combine multiple reasons for travel. If possible, extend your trip so that it fulfils multiple purposes. 
  • Unavoidable flights: Compensate emissions and select direct flights. If flying is unavoidable, then book a direct flight rather than one with a stopover since the latter often results in higher greenhouse gas emissions. We also recommend offsetting the emissions. When you select a program for carbon offsetting, make sure that the program includes all greenhouse gases (not just CO2) and that it promotes high-quality compensation projects. The “Gold Standard” certificate provides orientation. Comparison of offsetting programs: 
    Test der Stiftung Warentest (2018, German)

Comparison of emissions by mode of transport and further information:
Factsheet Business Travel (PDF, 364 KB)
Sustainability during Your Exchange (PDF, 380 KB)

Food

Diet provides a lot of leverage for your own behavior to contribute to sustainable development. Agro-industrial production and transportation of food significantly influence greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Select vegetarian or vegan options. Production and transportation of the ingredients of the various menus available at UZH cause on average the following greenhouse gas emissions (in CO2 equivalents):
    – menu with meat or fish: 2,300 grams
    – vegetarian menu: 900 grams
    – vegan menu: 700 grams
  • Select seasonal and regional products. Seasonal fruit and vegetables help reduce environmental impacts  because they require neither heated greenhouses nor freezing. Regional products help reduce transportation-induced emissions.
    WWF seasonal calendar (in German)
  • Drink tap water instead of bottled water. In Switzerland and may other countries tap water is good for you, and it causes 200 to 400 times less greenhouse gas emissions per liter than mineral water provided in glass or PET bottles. It is also suitable for business meetings when presented in an attractive carafe. You can fill your own bottle at the drinking water fountains in UZH buildings. You find a list of the available fountains on the Blue Community Network page:
    Blue Community 
  • Avoid food waste. Ask the cafeteria staff to only scoop as much food as you will actually eat.

Further information: Guideline Sustainable Catering (PDF, 278 KB) 
Guideline Sustainable Catering (PDF, 278 KB) 
Factsheet Food in University Life (PDF, 488 KB) (PDF, 488 KB)
Further information with regard to sustainable procurement

Commuting

Commuting to and from the university is a relevant source of greenhouse gas emissions caused by UZH. By reducing commuting distances and choosing an environmentally friendly mode of transportation, you can minimize these emissions.

  • Reduce commuting distances. Prefer a place to live that is close to the campus or otherwise provides good public transport access.
  • Use a bicycle or public transport for commuting and for trips between UZH sites. Bicycles, buses, streetcars, and trains cause much smaller amounts of greenhouse gas emissions per person kilometer than motorized individual transport modes.

Comparison of various modes of transportation with respect to emissions:
Factsheet Commuter Traffic (PDF, 407 KB)

IT devices

The environmental load from the production of today’s end-user devices such as laptops, tablets, and smartphones, is many times that of the electricity consumed during their entire use phase. Servers are the only computers that require more energy during the use phase than during production. What is more, mining raw materials and poor working conditions cause severe environmental and social damage. Therefore, the most effective step toward sustainability is to purchase a new device as rarely as possible.

  • Use IT devices as long as possible and purchase new devices as seldom as possible. The most effective way to reduce IT-induced impacts on human beings and the environment is to use devices for as long a period as possible. Have broken devices repaired instead of buying new ones.
  • Use devices available at UZH instead of buying your own. Using centrally available infrastructure, such as printers or servers, is more environmentally friendly than buying and using your own.
  • Save energy while using IT devices. Monitors should be put in standby mode automatically even after a short period of inactivity. Reducing average screen brightness (e.g. by switching to “dark mode”) can also save energy.
  • Unplug devices with insufficient sleep or standby mode. As a rule, today’s IT devices (e.g. monitors, printers, laptops, and their power supply units) have a sleep or standby mode with negligible energy consumption. However, there are inglorious exceptions. These can be recognised by the waste heat. If a device gives off noticeable amounts of heat when not used, it is advisable to unplug it, especially if the device will not be used for a longer period of time.

Further information:
Factsheet Media Use (PDF, 376 KB)
Further information with regard to sustainable procurement​​​​​​​

Paper

At UZH, 18 kg of paper are consumed per employee per year (only centrally procured paper such as printer paper, printed matter, envelopes; as of 2018). Compared to mobility or heating, the production of this paper has only a very small share in the greenhouse gas emissions of UZH. Nevertheless, it is worthwhile to print fewer documents and use recycled paper:

  • Do not print electronic documents. If possible, do not print lecture notes or other large documents. Private printing uses more paper per page of content on average than professional printing does (usually one-sided printing; formats smaller than A4 printed on A4 paper; high-quality paper required for inkjet printing).
  • Use 100% recycled paper. Take care to use 100% recycled paper. Producing average virgin fiber paper causes roughly 2.5 times the amount of greenhouse gas emissions as producing recycled paper (e.g., the “Refutura” paper used in the one-paper strategy of UZH).  Comparative ecological life cycle assessment of various paper types (in German)
  • Cut down on paper use when printing; do not print in color if possible. Double-sided printing saves paper. Color printing requires more material and energy than grayscale printing.
  • Use printed media (lecture notes, books) multiple times. People can lend or give lecture or seminar notes, journals, and books to others via the platform Uniboard.

Comparison of print and electronic media:
Factsheet Media Use (PDF, 376 KB)

Waste

The most effective way to reduce waste is to buy less. In the case of many consumer goods, for example food, at least packaging can be reduced or recycled.

  • Avoid waste. The mensas and cafeterias provide multi-use coffee mugs for a deposit. If you bring your own cup, you get every eleventh hot drink for free.
  • Recycle waste. The UZH Waste Disposal Guidelines define how waste occurring at UZH is to be disposed of properly. Information about various types of waste – general waste, paper/cardboard, glass, PET, metal, aluminum, toner cartridges, and Nespresso capsules – is available on the staff portal website. At Campus Irchel there is a separat waste collecting point for plastics.
    UZH Waste Disposal Guidelines                                                               
    Disposal Instructions for UZH Staff
    Plastic Collection Point at Campus Irchel (PDF, 195 KB)

Recycling stations outside UZH:
Recycling Map

Used items

There are a number of places and online platforms at UZH for exchanging, buying, selling, or giving away items.

Bring- und Holtag (swap day): People can bring portable objects that are clean and work properly to the UZH Zentrum on one day in October.

UZH Alumni Marktplatz (UZH Alumni Marketplace): People can post offers and requests in the "Flohmarkt" (flea market) section online.

Uniboard: This website features a marketplace for buying and selling things, especially books and learning materials.

Used furniture: Used office furniture that is no longer needed at UZH can be sold by staff and students for private use.

Bücherkabine (Book booth): People can donate and take books at the "Bücherkabine" (book booth) in the main building of UZH (Rämistrasse entrance).

Büchertauschbörse (Book exchange): The book exchange takes place every September in the Dozierendenfoyer at the Campus Irchel (Room Y22-G-74).

 

Event management

Events can cause relevant greenhouse gas emissions due to attendees’ travel as well as catering and accommodation.

More Information:
Guideline Sustainable Events (PDF, 263 KB)
Guideline Sustainable Catering (PDF, 278 KB)
Tips for sustainable give-aways and alternatives (accessible after UZH-login)
Tips for sustainability related activities in and around Zurich (accessible after UZH-login)

Stay informed and take action