My Greenspace is an interactive programme available for everyone at Durham. We want as many people to join our Greenspace Movement as possible and reward you for your positive behaviours that improve individual and university-wide sustainability and wellbeing.
You can earn Green Points for
Download My Greenspace today and become part of our community!
Durham University works with the Too Good To Go app to reduce food waste across campus catering outlets. Staff, students and members of the public can purchase heavily discounted surplus food that would otherwise be wasted, supporting both affordability and sustainability. Since launching at Durham in 2022, the scheme has expanded across multiple University food outlets and forms part of the University's wider commitment to reducing food waste and promoting sustainable consumption.
Globally Too Good To Go has 120 million registered users and has saved over 500 million meals from going to waste. At Durham during the 25/26 academic year the app
The Green Move Out scheme started out in just one college in 2005. It has run every year since, growing to include all colleges and students living out in the wider community.
Along with our partners at Durham County Council and our charity partners, British Heart foundation and St Cuthbert’s Hospice we will deliver and collect purple bag to all students living in College (University owned/managed accommodation) and other Purpose Built Student Accommodation blocks as well as around 2,150 properties in the private rented sector. This means around 96% of students living in and around Durham city get a purple bag delivered directly to them.
We also now deliver to every property in approximately 100 streets/buildings where the bulk of residents are students, welcoming donations from non-students in these areas too.
Every year we work hard to minimise the burden on everyone involved in Green Move Out, including students. This enables us to get the purple bags out as quickly as possible and to reduce emissions involved in the scheme operation, whilst making it as cost effective as possible for everyone involved.
For 2026, we will be distributing purple bags to student properties, colleges and student accommodation from 19th May onwards. Please fill the bag with any of the following items:
The ‘Greenspace Festival’ was launched in 2021 as a part of our ‘Greenspace’ identity, which brings together all our environmental plans, policies and procedures. It continues to grow in strength and popularity.
The festival aims to bring together student environment groups, researchers, local charities and sustainable businesses to celebrate the work they do to tackle climate change and drive sustainable development.
This year’s festival built on previous successes with the inclusion of Lakefly (pond dipping) sampling with Wear Rivers Trust, a Forest Bathing session in Great High Wood, bicycle repairs from Dr Bike, and vegan and gluten free food from local artisan baker Mann’s Vegan Scran!
Professor Karen O’Brien, Vice-Chancellor and Warden, began the festival with opening remarks the presentation of the Sustainability Varsity Trophy, which this year went to St Chad’s college in recognition of all their sustainable actions. As with previous years there were talks throughout the festival, this year we heard from;
This year we had a vast array of stalls from university departments, student groups and our local charity and business partners. These stalls included;
The catering offer at the festival is always 100% vegan and this year we enjoyed sweet and savoury treats form Mann’s Vegan Scran who were also a 100% gluten free.
The event is open to university students, staff, and alumni as well as members of the wider community, which presents an exciting opportunity for them to come together to celebrate their achievements so far on the pathway to net zero, collaborate and network with one another.
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