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Environmental friendly actions at the Department of Mathematics

The Department of Mathematics encourages environmentally friendly actions in the daily work environment. This page collects information for all employees on a range of sustainable choices. 

"..and while we are looking towards the future; each of us might consider contributing to the health of the planet by taking one less aeroplane flight in the coming year."
- Karen Uhlenbeck, Abel prize laureate 2019

Why make sustainable choices in the workplace?

The Paris Agreement signed in 2016 by 195 countries sets a target for pursuing efforts to limit temperature increase to at most 1.5 C above pre-industrial levels.

The university as an institution generating knowledge has a special responsibility to embrace sustainable choices in the workplace. The Department of Mathematics and UiO encourage all employees to make environmentally friendly choices in their every day activity. More information about the work at UiO centered on environment is to be found in the strategy plan.

How to make sustainable choices in the workplace?

Below you will find some guidelines and suggestions for environmentally friendly and sustainable choices.

Environmentally friendly travel

The Department of Mathematics encourages all employees to consider the following aspects when planning travel (including invitation of guests):

  1. Is the travel a necessity?

  2. Can the travel be replaced by a video conference meeting? 

  3. Can you use a different means of transportation than airplane? 

  4. Can several short journeys be combined into one journey?

  5. Can you use an alternative means of transportation to airplane on one leg of the journey? 

  6. Can you avoid appointing external examiners who must travel by airplane (see 2 above)? If not, perhaps you can prioritise a choice involving a short journey for one of the examiners?

  7. Avoid planning internal meetings/seminars at destinations that are reached exclusively by air travel.

Further information about planning of job related travels and booking of train/bus tickets.  

Further actions: choose public transportation locally whenever possible. It is the most environmentally friendly choice and often the most reasonably priced one. If public transportation is not available, while in Oslo use for example UiOs elbilpool for related local travel. Choose electric vehicles whenever possible.

Videoconference

At the department there are 2 rooms equipped with video conference equipment: these are B700 and B1000. The equipment is easy to use, see also user information from the sysadmin staff.

Try the rooms! Video conference is much easier to use than one might  think!

More advanced video meetings such as long distance teaching or presentations in relation to conferences can also be arranged, possibly at other locations on campus. Contact the sysadmin staff for more information.

Sustainable choices in teaching and research

The department will evaluate travel practices of its employees through surveys. The findings of the first survey may be found here. Based on these findings, the department will formulate concrete recommendations in order to reduce the amount of air travel in 2020.

The department encourages its employees to familiarise themselves with the UN Sustainable Development Goals and adhere to them in their teaching and research activities, whenever relevant.

Other measures

  • Use the recycling facilities. See waste recycling at UiO for more information.
  • Bring your own cup to meetings.
  • Order (partly) vegetarian food in connection with meetings. Why not  order half the food vegetarian?
  • Do not throw leftovers into the bin. Offer them to others.  

Related links

Contact persons

 

Published Aug. 6, 2019 1:51 PM - Last modified June 22, 2022 10:06 AM