Welcome to Sustainable St Andrews
You are joining a community that prioritizes sustainability – it’s a key governance theme at the University of St Andrews, and is embedded in our research, education, estates, and operations; and in student and community engagement.
The University is fully committed to supporting sustainable choices by raising awareness of, and providing ways to reduce, your carbon footprint in four key areas:
- Shopping
- Food
- Travel
- Recycling
These resources are for those living in either University or private accommodation. Both ahead of your arrival and throughout your time here, you can actively minimise your carbon impact and contribute to a more sustainable future.
Shopping
We know you want to make your home-from-home as comfortable as possible, so we have two packages to help you settle in with the basics without breaking the bank.
St AndReuse Big Giveaways happen at the start of each semester, making it easy for new and returning students to grab some must-have stuff for their time in St Andrews. Most are free, with adult shoes and clothing available for just £1 each.
Bedding Bundles are professionally-laundered, pre-loved duvets, pillows and bedlinen. You can find more information or order here.
The Reuse Store is also open to anyone in the community for weekly drop ins on Monday and Friday lunchtimes at University Hall.
Give Aways, Pop Up Reuse Shops & Swaps, and regular opening times are detailed on Transition’s Events page here.
Donations can be brought to Reuse when it is open, or to our Reuse partners, the St Andrews Environment Network, at the Eco Hub on 40 Kinnessburn Road. Monday – Friday 9:30 – 5:30pm (except Thursdays, 1:30 – 5:30pm).
Throughout the year we host monthly Repair & Advice Cafes and ad hoc Skillshares – at the Repair Cafe where you can have clothes, bags, electricals, jewellery, ceramics and other items fixed by volunteers for free. Skillshares teach sewing, upcycling, clothes (re)design, crochet, plant-based cooking and other skills.
It is better to donate unwanted clothes in good condition so charity shops can make more money from them. If you can repair these items before donating through Transition’s Repair Café, that can help.
You can also donate unwanted clothes to British Heart Foundation banks around campus. Buy second-hand or better-quality clothing where you can.
Many residential halls now feature reuse stations in the common rooms. You can leave items you no longer need or take items that you can use. This is a great way to join in your local sharing economy.
At the end of term, we set up collection points in each hall of residence to prevent your unwanted goods from going to waste. St AndReuse partners with local charities, farms, community groups, and other organisations to redistribute items collected.
Food
Transition coordinates various food initiatives with the aim of making it easier for people in St Andrews to eat sustainably and ethically sourced food.
The Tree
The Tree is a student-run food cooperative which aims to provide locally produced and organic food at affordable prices. Shop online here.
Edible Campus
Edible Campus brings people together to grow their own food through a network of community gardens. Find out more about this and The Tree on Transition’s website here.
The Eco Hub
St Andrews Environmental Network run a refill shop on Kinnessburn Road selling sustainable food and household products. There is also a St AndReuse collection point here, if you want to bring your unwanted items. Find more here.
Campus Larder
The Student Association’s Campus Larder is available to all students from 5-7pm on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday for students struggling during the cost-of-living crisis. For more information click here.
North East Fife Community Hub
The Community Fridge is open to everyone and is located at the St David’s Centre. They are open Monday – Friday 10am until 3pm. Find more information here.
Travel
Flights
For many of you, avoiding flights is not an easy option. To support our net zero goals, we have entered a partnership with Corrour which offers an opportunity to keep carbon in the ground through regenerative conservation strategies, which doesn’t directly offset your travel, but does contribute to a global sequestration effort – and supports research in this partnership. To learn more, visit here.
Bus
We have partnered with local bus companies, Stagecoach and Moffat and Williams, to offer a 75% discount on bus travel in and around St Andrews and throughout the UK. More information on that is here.
If you are under 22, you’re eligible for FREE bus travel under the National Entitlement Scheme.
Train
There are train deals available on ScotRail networks. You can learn more about those here.
Bike Pool
Bike Pool is a service run by Transition, where abandoned and donated bikes are refurbished and rented out to people in St Andrews.
They also run Fix-It sessions, where people can learn bike maintenance and fix their broken bikes. Find comprehensive information on all low carbon travel options in St Andrews here.
Recycling in Halls
In your kitchen you have 3 bins, one for Dry Mixed Recycling, one for General Waste and one for cardboard. The general waste bin is only for waste yougenerate while cooking, it is not intended to receive your bedroom waste.
In your bedroom you have 2 bins. Use one for Dry Mixed Recycling (food tins and drink cans, cartons, paper & cardboard and plastic bottles, containers and wrappers.) and the other for general waste. These should be emptied into the corresponding large bins outside your hall. Cardboard waste should be disposed of separately at the relevant stations near the outdoor bins.
Unwanted items like clothes, bags, shoes, etc. can be donated to the St AndReuse station in the common room or to the British Heart Foundation banks around campus.
WEEE (Waste Electrical and Electronic Equipment) should be brought to reception for disposal by residential staff. Batteries can be disposed of in special plastic containers in every hall. Ask your hall staff where these are located.
Recycling in town
If you live outside of the town centre you will have 4 bins, grey, green, brown
and blue. You should use them for the following:
- Grey – paper, card and cardboard.
- Green – plastics and metals.
- Brown – food and garden waste.
- Blue – non-recyclables.
If you live in the town centre, you will have a single bin for general waste. To recycle you will have to take your recycling to a recycling point closest to your house. You can use one of the University recycling sites like at the main library, or other ones found on our recycling website. You can also use the Fife Council collection point at the Double Dykes Road Car Park. Further information about which days you should bring out your bins can be found on the Fife Council website.
Opportunities
There are a number of different opportunities for you to get involved in sustainability, both within the university campus and through various regional and national organisations. Here are some examples:
Support sustainability initiatives within the university
- Environment Team: Keep an eye on the University’s Sustainability web
and social media pages for paid internships and volunteering opportunities
(contact: [email protected], Instagram: @ustasustainable) - Hall Environment Representatives: Help your Hall of Residence become
more environmentally friendly (contact: [email protected]). - Transition: Join Transitions team of volunteers
(contact: [email protected]) - Fairtrade Steering Committee: Work to introduce more Fairtrade products
into university retail outlets (contact: [email protected]). - Enactus St Andrews: Join one of the many projects working to encourage
sustainability in the local area here - Environment Sub-Committee: Help make the Union and associated
societies more sustainable within a great team
(contact: [email protected]). - Rectors Committee: Apply to join the Rector’s and work to advocate for variety of student interests (contact: [email protected]).
Volunteer with external community groups:
- St Andrews Environmental Network: Support this local environmental
charity and get involved with projects such as Cosy Kingdom and
St Andrews Beach Wheelchairs
(contact: [email protected]). - Fife Coast and Countryside Trust: Take part in practical conservation
activities (contact: [email protected]). - Scottish Wildlife Trust: Join your local SWT group and volunteer at wildlife
conservation events here - Nature Scot, Tentsmuir Forest: Volunteer at the National Nature Reserve
known for its diverse forest, Morton Lochs and fantastic dune systems here - 2050 Climate Group: Take part in the Young Leaders Development
Programme for 18-35 year-olds or volunteer to run the Scottish Government
initiative here
Start your own project:
- If you have an idea for a project relating to the environment or sustainability
and would like support or involvement, please reach out to the Environment
team – we would love to hear your ideas! [email protected] - For more information on our sustainability activities, you can check out our
Instagram @ustasustainable. There are opportunities for students to be
involved in these leadership groups, so get in touch with
[email protected].