Introducing your Sustainability Coordinator for 2025-2026
Hey! My name is Amy, and I am here to introduce myself as the Sustainability Coordinator for this year! Having just graduated with MA in Sustainable Development and Spanish, I am thrilled to stay in beautiful St Andrews for another year while doing my part to implement the University’s Sustainability Strategy.
Within the Environment Team (Estates), my role involves student representation. I help to coordinate the School Sustainability Reps and Hall Environment Representatives (super cool positions that you should run for in September!). Alongside student engagement, I work on ‘behind-the-scenes’ operational and policy initiatives for sustainability, including Fairtrade, food, circular economy, and biodiversity.
Last summer, I interned with the Environment Team to investigate waste in our halls of residence, spotting where improvements can be made in what we buy, sell, and throw away, to shape our student life into a more circular economy. I hope to continue these efforts this year. As a student I was part of the Environment Network (previously called the Environment Subcommittee), where I worked with Transition to make the St AndReuse sharing economy project more easily accessible for students in halls. Now, more halls are retaining reusable items, and many have installed a St AndReuse station. I am enthusiastic that we can keep positive momentum going, in line with the University’s net zero by 2035 goals.
During my degree, I was fortunate to learn about the roles of governance and community in transitioning to sustainable futures, the consequences of extractive economic systems, and the importance of environmental justice. I also managed to integrate sustainability frequently in my Spanish modules (like the time my oral presentation was a proposal to ban disposable coffee cups in University cafes… watch this space). My degree has shown me the importance and need for collective sustainability efforts throughout St Andrews.
I am from Sussex in the south of England, so I was raised on the very un-sandy beach of Brighton. One of my favourite things to do in St Andrews is go for a sunrise swim at East Sands (May Dip aside!). Going on a random Wednesday morning can fill me with the most incredible sense of peace and connection to nature (when I have the willpower to separate myself from my duvet at an ungodly hour to be there in time…)
If you find the inner strength to leave your bed for a swim, let me know! Reach me through your preferred medium:
- @ustasustainable on Instagram
- via email – [email protected] or [email protected]
- on Facebook
- at the Environment Team stall at Freshers’ Fayre (Tuesday 9 September 2025, Students’ Association)
- calling into the wind at East Sands at 6am (good luck!)
