Student unions across Edinburgh have pledged to engage in the NUS Carbon Academy campaign to reduce their carbon footprint through training and establishing better practices in energy management.

The project, supported by campaign groups People and Plant and the Environmental Association for Universities and Colleges (EAUC), was launched in response to the Scottish Government's demand to cut carbon emissions.

Liam Burns, President of Heriot Watt Students Association (HWUSA), told The Journal: “We are one of the first to go through the roll out of the Carbon Academy”

“We’re using it as a way of auditing the practices of the Union. Not only is there a strong push from the Executive to improve our environmental performance, but from a pragmatic point of view the financial savings are clearly an opportunity”

This has been specifically designed for student unions by the NUS.

Mr Burns continued: “We don’t have to waste time explaining what we’re all about to an external organisation so we hit the ground running. More importantly, as grass roots students have been trained to deliver the scheme, there are clear educational and developmental benefits to students on the ground."

HWUSA is working with their Principal to develop and entrench an up to date environmental policy within the institution and is planning a ‘Go Green’ campaign in week eight of the semester.

NUS assert that on average universities waste 15% of the utilities they use through bad practice. They have estimated that its 233 member unions are collectively responsible for 145,000 tons of carbon dioxide per annum.

NUS Services hopes that the Carbon Academy will contribute to the reduction of between 4,000 and 6,500 tons of carbon dioxide by its member unions every year for the next five years.

The Carbon Academy scheme, now in its third phrase, held a Carbon Academy open access training course at Edinburgh University Students Association on Monday, January 28, 2008.

The course was aimed at improving energy efficiency in student unions and equipped delegates with the knowledge to carry out an energy audit.

Josh McAlister, President of the University of Edinburgh association, told The Journal: “Edinburgh University Students' Association has been recognised as one of the leading environmentally friendly students' unions in the UK.

“We'll certainly be engaging with the Carbon Academy in the future and we hope to both save money and further improve our environmental standing.”

The Carbon Academy scheme is a reaction to pressure from Holyrood and Westminster to make universities throughout the UK more environmentally friendly.

The Scottish Executive has committed to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 80% by 2050 and expects universities to play a crucial role in this diminution.

The Scottish Executive Sustainable Action Grant Fund and the Scottish Funding Council have financed the EUAC-led Campus Sustainability Project (Caspr), which aims to deliver a wide ranging series of workshops detailing the practical and financial support available and giving advice on good practice.

The Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) has pledged £290 million to cut campus greenhouse gases and encourage innovation in sustainable building projects at universities.

The deputy chief executive of HEFCE, Steve Egan, said: “Within our overall approach to sustainable development we will continue to work with universities and colleges to ensure that building programmes are planned in a sustainable way, to contribute to meeting targets to reduce carbon emissions.”