Initiatives at ION

Sustainability and climate change activities at the Institute.

Eating Sustainably

Cameron Gordon, ION Green Impact Sustainability Ambassador for 2024-25 has created a digital guide to eating sustainably. This resource contains general guidance as well as some recipes to inspire a shift in your eating habits. Small changes can help your health, wallet and the planet.

These meals can be eaten at home and be taken in for lunch and heated in the microwaves that Shashwat helpfully guided us all to in the Knowing your Campus project below.

Project Period

We're delighted to launch the Project Period at IoN which aims to offer free sustainable period products to anyone who needs it .

Project Period at IoN is dedicated to providing free, sustainable menstrual products to all students and staff. We’re addressing period poverty and breaking the taboo around periods with an aim of moving our community towards plastic free periods. Sustainable products (pads and tampons with applicator from sustainable materials) are now available in a series of IoN locations.

IoN Climate Crisis Committee

The first ION Climate Crisis took place on 30th May 2024, with reps from across ION departments and Professional Services. This was built on in subsequent meetings in June and July, where we discussed new initiatives to promote sustainability and contribute to the fight against climate change across the Institute. Everyone is welcome to join and contribute. Please see ION intranet or contact Professor Sanjay Sisodiya, s.sisodiya@ucl.ac.uk, for further information.

ION Sustainability pledges

IoN Sustainable travel policy : air travel for all UK-based business travel and any business travel to Northern Europe that is supported by Eurostar/ train links will no longer be reimbursed or permitted.
All of our events will now be vegetarian catering and we will avoid plastic water bottles
All departmental purchasing of tea, coffee and sugar should be Fairtrade
Achieve Gold Green Impact and LEAF Awards
Organise Annual IoN climate event
Make waste and sustainability training mandatory
Faculty Sustainability pledges 2022-23

Know your campus project: mapping facilities for ION students

The "Know Your Campus" project was created by Shashwat Guha, studying MSc clinical Neuroscience at UCL, ION Green Impact Sustainability Ambassador for 2023-24. The project involves drafting a already present around Queen Square IoN, such as water fountains, microwaves, kettles and recycling bins. This can help students have an easier time locating these resources, to heat up food or fill reusable water bottles. This would also encourage everyone to bring their own packed lunches, instead of buying packaged food and bottled water, ultimately reducing waste and saving money! You can find more details about the project on our website and the documents below:

Digital detox campaign

This campaign was created by the ION Student Sustainability Ambassador in 2022-23. Get rid of your clutter stored on The Cloud, delete spam emails and unwanted email subscriptions and make more mindful tech purchases.

Digital detox

Vegetable planting in 12 Queen Square

The 12QS Green Team repurposed old planters and made a little vegetable patio, and planted strawberries, yellow peppers, zucchini, as well as tomato plants.....researchers from 12QS will be involved in the regular care and watering of the plants.