Green Wadham

We continue to make efforts to improve energy efficiency and reduce our impact on the environment. Initiatives to help us reach carbon net zero by 2035 include energy and water saving measures across the College. We have made significant strides towards this goal.

Since our baseline year of 2021-22, both our Scope 1 and Scope 2 emissions have decreased annually. Key interventions contributing to this progress include draught proofing windows, making adjustments to boiler settings, thermal upgrades to buildings, and the installation of energy-efficient thermal heat batteries (Sunamps) and electric boilers to replace outdated ones. Additionally, the installation of solar panels for onsite renewable energy generation, the replacement of lights with LEDs and PIRs, and the deployment of around 500 Eyesense devices—an advanced energy management system with occupancy detection designed by researchers at Cambridge—have all played crucial roles.

Community engagement in our energy-saving initiatives has also significantly contributed to the reduction in our carbon emissions.

We have achieved the following:

• 23% reduction in gas reduction since it peaked in 2020-21.
• 9% reduction in electricity usage since 2021-22
• 13% Scope 1 reduction since 2021-22
• 21% Scope 2 reduction since 2021-22
• 80 LED traffic-light showerheads installed
• 4 buildings fossil-fuel free
• 500 Eyesense devices installed.

We encourage sustainable travel. There is a cycle loan scheme for all College members, and a bus/train pass loan scheme for our staff. The College supports hybrid working where operationally feasible and agreed by relevant line managers. We encourage visitors to consider sustainable ways to get to Wadham.

We want many generations of future students to enjoy our grounds. Our Gardens team manages their activities to reduce environmental impact and help Wadham to be Biodiversity Net Positive while keeping the grounds looking beautiful. The SU Ethics and Environment Reps support these initatives.

We record the flora and fauna in Wadham's gardens and encourage all visitors and College members to help with this. Please, if you enjoy spending time in the gardens, join iNaturalist, an online community for nature enthusiasts. As part of this online community, you can upload photos of plants, birds, insects, and animals, and online experts will help to verify their identification. You will find a step-by-step to getting started here.

College members are invited to sign up for our fortnightly volunteer gardening sessions from Hilary term 2026. They are open to all Wadham students, staff and Fellows. Volunteers will work with our Gardens team on a range of projects.

We strive to reduce the amount of waste produced in College and to reuse and recycle whenever possible. Wadham’s first internal waste audit took place in June 2025. The findings from the audit helped us to review our practices and to take the actions needed to improve them. We have implemented an engagement plan with set targets to reduce waste and improve recycling rates over the next five years. Our collaboration with Food Rescuers, a student-led charity supporting the homeless in Oxford, ensures that leftover food from our Refectory is distributed to those in need each weekday in term time.

In 2024/25, 28 tonnes of waste were sent to mixed recycling.

At the end of Trinity term 2025, 400kg of food and other items were donated to charity, via collections by Hearty Earth.

Our water consumption in College has decreased by 11% since 2021-22. This achievement is due to numerous interventions, including the installation of low-flow flush toilets, taps, and showerheads that change colour to indicate usage time. Minimal water is used in cooking.

We source local and seasonal produce as much as possible. We have increased the produce we are buying through the Good Food Oxfordshire's OxFarmtoFork, a local food supply chain. Examples of locally produced food purchased through this important initiative include wild venison from Bruern Farms, organic leeks from Tolhurst Organics, carrots from Brighthampton and sourdough from Proof Social Bakehouse. We support more local businesses, including Mayfield Farm, Oxford Oils, and Aldens Oxford. We work closely with our suppliers to ensure that we are all following sustainable practices. An increasing number of our suppliers are using electric vehicles and moving towards plastic-free deliveries.

Healthy options are offered at meal times. At least 50% of meal options served at College are vegetarian or vegan. On 'Mindful Mondays' students and staff are encouraged to try different, meat-free, options. We have reduced the amount of red meat in all our menus and we reuse and repurpose food into other dishes where possible. Food waste has been reduced by our meal-booking system for students and staff.