Green Impact Auditing

Third Year Kingston University student Aija

Hello everyone my name is Aija! I’m originally from Latvia and this semester I will be a 3rd year student at Kingston University studying International Business on placement.

I really like how Kingston University operates in a socially and economically beneficial manner in terms of their immediate local setting and in wider regional and global contexts, as well as acting as a lead in the local community in terms of best environmental and sustainability practice. I too am passionate about the local environment and recently took part in a really interesting environmental volunteering opportunity.

  

On 16th July 2012 I volunteered on the ‘Green Impact Auditing’ opportunity which was advertised by KUSU Volunteering and facilitated by the Sustainability Hub at Kingston University. Kingston University run ‘Green Impact’, an environmental accreditation scheme, which allows departments to make their workplaces greener. The aim of the ‘Green Impact Auditing’ event was to showcase how much Kingston University does in terms of recycling, investing in more efficient equipment, encouraging biodiversity and Fairtrade etc. The ‘Green Impact Auditing’ volunteering opportunity took place over one day and consisted of two parts. In the morning KUSU student volunteers received free training on how to audit ‘Green Impact’ activities, before receiving a free and delicious lunch, which we all enjoyed, before getting to actually conduct audits of the departments in Kingston University in the afternoon!

Even though it sounds scary and serious, the training was brilliant and we conducted the audits in pairs so that we could support each other. I’d already noticed how eco-friendly Kingston University was when I first arrived here, and it was an honour to get the chance to help Kingston University receive recognition from Green Impact for its energy-saving and recycling policies and efforts.

I’m really glad I volunteered on this. It added another dimension to my knowledge of sustainability for which I am thankful. I recommend you try volunteering at least once. It’s fun, you learn new things, develop your skill-set and it may even prove useful in helping you score additional points when you go for interviews.

In the future I intend to continue with One-Off Volunteering opportunities as they are never the same and bring joy to participants for the volunteering they have done and the help they have given to the community.

I’m looking forward to receiving a certificate at the Green Impact Award ceremony in October 2012 for my volunteer contribution - It’s something that I can put on my CV!