Easter Switch Off 2026 - rest, recharge and reduce this spring!

Did you know UCL spends almost over £3,000 per hour overnight on our overall electricity use? Although Sustainable UCL and the Estates team have been working hard centrally to reduce our energy, it takes all of us, including you, to make a difference.  

Why switch off?

Every action counts. By turning off non-essential equipment and lighting during the break, we significantly reduce our campus carbon emissions. Last Christmas, 450 students and staff pledged to switch off non-essential equipment and lights, saving over 289 tonnes of carbon, equivalent to planting 4,817 trees. This also saved UCL an incredible £170,000 over the holiday period. It was our best-ever participation in the Christmas Switch Off campaign, and this Easter, we’re aiming to keep on saving.

How to get involved?  

As you prepare for the break, remember that simple actions can lead to significant energy savings:

• Switch off monitors and computers
• Unplug chargers and non-essential appliances
• Turn off lights in unoccupied rooms

For a comprehensive checklist tailored to your area, please visit the link here.

• Make your pledge to switch off via this form by 1^st April to be in with a chance to win prizes for you, your department and/or accommodation. There are prizes up for grabs for the department or division and the accommodation that has made the highest percentage of pledges.   
• Encourage others to switch off using the resources provided by Sustainable UCL, including posters and email signatures.
• Join your Teams calls with our Easter Switch Off themed background to let your colleagues and classmates know you are joining the campaign! 

Let's Spring into action!

Make your pledge & win a spring hamper!

For individuals: Submit your pledge by April 1st to be entered into a prize draw for a Sustainable Spring Hamper, from the Goodness Project, packed with vegan treats and goodies! The Goodness Project partner with Ecologi to plant 1 tree for every order to help protect our amazing natural environment around the world. Check out their forest by following the link here.

For halls/departments: The department or hall with the most pledges (as a percentage of its total staff and students) will receive £50 to go towards an event or activity, and will also be featured on our social media and website!  

How much impact do these changes actually have? Answer: a lot!   

A lot more than you might think:

• Leaving one PC monitor on overnight can waste enough energy to print 500 pages (Energy Saving Trust).
• Lighting an unused office overnight could power 1,000 cups of tea (The Carbon Trust).
• A single open window in winter can waste enough heat to drive a small car over 35 miles (The Carbon Trust).

Submit your pledge now and switch off this Easter!

Wishing you a restful and rejuvenating Easter break!