
Sustainability at
London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine
At the School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, we are committed to delivering our vision of improving health worldwide in an environmentally sustainable way. To this end, our commitment to continuous environmental improvements through the ISO 14001:2015 environmental management system (EMS) ensures we keep looking at ways of reducing our environmental impacts and carbon emissions resulting from our activities and operations.
NEWS

Choose right! Choose Planetary Pick!
June 04, 2019
To celebrate the launch of the new Centre on Climate Change and Planetary Health, Catering Services have created...Planetary Pick - new tasty, healthy, and sustainable meal options which align to the recent planetary health diet recommendations developed by the EAT-Lancet Commission.
The new meals are AVAILABLE NOW at the Refectory, Seacole Cafe and through events catering, with an loyalty card scheme to earn points and redeem for a discounted or free meal.
Head on down and give it a try!
Launch of the new Centre for Climate Change and Planetary Health
June 04, 2019
On Thursday 30th May, LSHTM saw the launch of its 14 Centre dedicated to research on climate change and planetary health! Led by Professor Alan Dangour, the Centre will be at the forefront of interdisciplinary research into the direct and indirect impacts of climate change on human health, as well as the opportunities to adapt and build resilience to these impacts to inform policy and implementation.
The launch was opened by LSHTM Director Peter Piot, with fantastic presentations from Sir Andy Haines, and MP for Wakefield and Chair of the Environmental Audit Select Committee, Mary Creagh (@MaryCreaghMP). The event culminated with an inspirational talk from Nutrition and Sustainability PhD student Francesca Harris (@franbharris)
Click below to watch the live stream of the launch, and see the new centre's upcoming events, publications, and opportunities.
The True Cost - Documentary Screening
April 11, 2019
As part of LSHTM's Planetary Health Week (24th - 26th April), the Take Action Group and Planetary Health Network are hosting a documentary screening of The True Cost - a story of the clothes we wear, the people who make them and the impact it’s having on our world.
The screening will be aired on 26th April, 17:15pm in the Manson Lecture Theatre. This event is OPEN TO ALL!

LSHTM winner of Sustainable Labs Award
April 11, 2019
The Sustainable Labs initiative, led by Laboratory Services Manager Deborah Coles, has been named as the winner of the Laboratory Improvement category at the 2019 S-Lab Awards!
The bottom-up initiative has saved the School at least £300,000 in equipment, energy and waste. Initiatives have included an institution-wide lab sustainability group; sustainability-focused exit and induction processes; information and awareness materials for staff and students; development of central - and more efficient and resilient - sample storage space; a two-for-one freezer replacement scheme; fume cupboard sash and electrics switch-off campaigns; an equipment and consumables swap shop; recycling equipment through the Unigreen Scheme; running autoclaves on minimal cycles; and sustainability guidance for lab refurbishments.
TALK: Transforming Waste Into Opportunity - Wecyclers Recycles in Lagos, Nigeria
April 07, 2019
Join us for a special talk as part of the Innovation Series to mark the 120th anniversary of LSHTM's foundation. Hear from Peter Piot and Olawale Adebiyi, Chief Executive Officer of Wecyclers and the recipient of the King Baudouin Foundation’s 2019 African Development Prize.
The innovation event series will welcome inspiring speakers from a range of sectors including the biopharmaceutical and health technology industries, providing opportunities to stimulate future innovation in global health.
Room - Manson Lecture Theatre
Date - Monday 8 April 2019
Time - 17:30 - 19:00
First come, first served. There is no registration for this event.
Registrations NOW OPEN
January 04, 2019
Delegate registrations are now open for the London Student Sustainability Conference 2019. A great opportunity to hear from students across all University of London institutions about their curricular or research work which aligns to a sustainability theme.
Click the image to find out more and to register.

LSHTM Festive Food Drive
December 19, 2018
This year LSHTM staff have embraced the gift of giving and taken part in a Festive Food Drive organised by fellow staff members Ayisha Govindasamy (left) and Anna Kramer (right)! The drive was in aid of Euston Food Bank and Bloody Good Period, to help those struggling particularly over the winter months.
We caught up with the pair to find out more:
Q: Where did the idea of the Festive Food Drive come from?
“We wanted to do something very Christmassy with a charitable element. We thought a festive food drive would be an amazing idea as it’s something everyone can get involved with!
People relying on food banks is increasing, and they are becoming especially important around the north London area due to the high cost of living.
When we started to promote the drive, we also found out about Bloody Good Period, a charity who tackles period poverty by providing sanitary products for those who can’t afford them. A colleague who works with research on menstrual hygiene in Africa recommended we add this as part of the drive, which turned out to be a great idea, mirroring the work LSHTM is doing to support female migrants, refugees, and asylum seekers, as well as sexual and reproductive health.
As well as food and sanitary product donations, colleagues also donated cash which meant we could purchase things that were specifically in demand at food banks across London.”
Q: How has the response been to the drive?
“The response has been better than we expected for its first time! We didn’t really know if people would catch on in the busy run up to the holiday period, but the wide communications across the staff networks paid off and we’ve collected items ranging from tinned goods and Christmas chocolates, to toothpaste, tampons, and tea and coffee. ”
A huge thank you to all those who donated to the Festive Food Drive.
Happy Holidays!
London Student Sustainability Conference 2019
February 28, 2019
Applications are NOW OPEN for London's first ever Student Sustainability Conference! A fantastic opportunity for any University of London student, at any level or discipline, to showcase their curricular or research work which reflects the broad themes of sustainability.
Its completely free to apply, and will not only be a great opportunity for students to practise communicating their work through visual and verbal means, but also a fantastic chance to network with other students, staff, local businesses and organisations.
Click 'find out more' below to view applicant guidelines, and to apply!

Festive Food Drive
December 03, 2018
CALLING ALL LSHTM STAFF!
This year we a holding a festive food donation to help those who are struggling over the Christmas period. We are looking for donations from Monday 3rd Dec - Friday 14th Dec. Items will then be donated to our local Euston Food Bank.
Please bring donations to G51 (Keppel Street) or the PHP Faculty Office (Tavistock Place).
Items you can donate include:
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Cereal
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Pasta
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Rice
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Pasta sauce
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Beans
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Tinned meat
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Tinned vegetables
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Tea/ coffee
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Tinned fruit
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Biscuits
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Soup
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Toiletries: deodorant, toilet paper, shower gel, shaving gel, shampoo, soap, toothbrushes, toothpaste, hand wipes
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Household items: laundry liquid detergent, laundry powder, washing up liquid
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Menstrual hygiene products: sanitary towels and tampons
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Baby supplies: nappies, baby wipes and baby food (no formula milk)
If you will struggle to get to the shops or bring in bulky items, you can still get involved by donating a couple of pounds and items will be bought on your behalf to ensure there's an an even spread of items.
If you have any questions please contact the Executive Office via Anna Kramer or Ayisha Govindasamy.
THANK YOU!

LSHTM Labs regognised at Green Gown Awards 2018
November 08, 2018
Deborah Coles, Laboratory Service Manager at LSHTM, has been nominated at the annual Green Gown Awards 2018 under the 'Sustainability Champion' category!
Deborah has been championing sustainability in labs at LSHTM for many years, achieving not only significant energy and carbon savings (650 tonnes to be exact), but also a sustained positive procurement ethos, and increased recycling management across the department.
Her determination and go-do attitude has helped to en still a positive sense of change at LSHTM, facilitating the sharing of best practise through the creation of a Sustainable Labs Working Group, and embracing new ideas. The group has so far reduced waste through contacting suppliers regarding excessive packing from deliveries, and also arranged standardised maintenance visits fro freezers to expand the lifespan of equipment.
To find out more about Sustainable Labs at LSHTM click here.

Plastic Free July
July 01, 2018
It can be difficult to avoid all plastics but there are some quick and easy wins, here are our top three to help you avoid single-use plastics:
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Get a reusable mug
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Refill your own bottle
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Bring your own bag
If you want to do more, try to tackle your food shopping and see if you can find everything you need without plastic. Let us know how it goes.
'Thank You For The Rain' film screening
May 15, 2018
Venue: Manson Lecture Room, LSHTM; Time: Wednesday 16 May 2018 at 18:15 - 20:15
About the film:
Five years ago Kisilu, a Kenyan farmer, started to use his camera to capture the life of his family, his village and the damages of climate change. When a violent storm throws him and a Norwegian filmmaker together we see him transform from a father to community leader to an activist on the global stage. Thank You For The Rain addresses a range of issues linked to climate change, including climate justice, urbanization, gender equality, education, access to water, climate refugees, and adaptation.
"It is the greatest injustice of our time and age that those who did nothing to cause climate change are first and hardest hit, whilst we who have done most to cause the greenhouse effect are hit last and least. In Thank You For The Rain we see the frontlines in the battle against climate change. Thank You For The Rain should be a wakeup call for all."
This is a free event, although donations on the evening will go towards the organisation of this and future events by LSHTM’s Planetary Health Network.
A plastic tide
January 09, 2018
The plastic pollution has finally come to light, and it`s not pretty.
Take a bit of time today to look at the magnitude of the issue.
Highly recommended:
3 China’s approach to accepting recycled plastic from abroad (read)
How can you help? Start by carring a reusable bottle and coffee cup with you, avoid disposable packaging, refuse plastic bags...
GeoNutrition: How soil management could reveal new ways to tackle ‘hidden hunger’ in sub-Saharan Africa
December 20, 2017
The London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine is embarking on an exciting 4-year project called GeoNutrition. Led by the University of Nottingham in partnership with LSHTM, Addis Ababa University, Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Rothamsted Research and CIMMYT, the project involves a multidisciplinary team of researchers working in agriculture, nutrition, socio-economics, geography and ethics, and seeks to improve baseline evidence on the prevalence and causes of MNDs in Ethiopia and Malawi.
Check out the Sustainable Christmas Market 2017
December 14, 2017
We hosted our first ever Sustainable Christmas Market on December 14th, and it was a great success.
Have a look at the pictures and a video will follow shortly.
If you attended the market, we really hope you enjoyed yourself. As always, any feedback is welcomed!
The Mayor's Entrepreneur Competition
November 09, 2017
Are you a conscientious and creative student? Are you business orientated? Have you ever had a passing idea on how the city might be more sustainable? The Mayor's Entrepreneur Competition aims to take your idea, and help bring it to life. The Competition is open to all London students, from any subject backgrounds, and the winner will receive £20,000 as a start up!
All entries are welcomed, and competitors will gain valuable skills and tools from workshops, as well as have the opportunity to meet past finalists and winners at City Hall.
Doubts about entering whilst studying? Don't worry - the Competition is designed so that you can enter without having to compromise your studies.Why wait? You can sign up now, and book yourself a spot on one of the three free workshops held by City Hall. To sign up, for more information, for general FAQ's, or to browse some past entries for ideas, it's all available at this link.
Don't hesitate! Sign up now and make the most of this unique opportunity which will surely be beneficial to your CV, for future employers, and for your own self-advancement.
Deadline: 18 February 2018
Extreme weather ‘could kill 150,000 people each year’ in Europe by 2100
August 06, 2017
The study by researchers at the European Commission Joint Research Centre estimates that deaths from extreme weather could rise from 3,000 per year between 1981 and 2010, to 152,000 per year between 2071 and 2100. This rise is predominantly associated with heatwaves, which would account for 99% of all weather-related deaths.

Substantial benefits for health and the environment through realistic changes to UK diets
September 02, 2017
Making a series of relatively minor and realistic changes to UK diets would not only reduce UK diet-related greenhouse gas emissions by nearly a fifth, but could also extend average life expectancy by eight months, according to new research led by the School.
Take part in the Cycle September National Competition
August 13, 2017
Get ready for the main #YearoftheBike event - Cycle September! Take part in a FUN, FREE, National competition to see which workplaces can earn the most points for riding and encouraging their colleagues to cycle. Head to www.lovetoride.net and set yourself up choosing ‘LSHTM’ as your workplace/team.
A smoothie bike is involved plus fantastic prizes you could win including bikes, holidays, vouchers zip lining and jet pack experiences, hot air balloon rides and local spa days... plus many more! See all prizes on the www.lovetoride.net website.

Become a Green Champion
July 16, 2017
The Green Champions Network consists of staff and student volunteers who want to make the Bloomsbury Colleges more sustainable. The reason for its existence is to contribute to a greener working place and encouraging sustainable behaviour among colleagues. However, the role of the Green Champions is flexible and designed to reflect their interests.
Being a Green Champion means that you are environmentally responsible and encourage people in your team to be more sustainable. Staff involved in the Green Champions network work together to make Bloomsbury a better place to work and study. This may be via little actions like switching the lights off in the kitchen when you leave or it could be something bigger.
The sustainability team frequently organises events that reflect the Green Champions' interests. Past events include - but are not limited to - bee keeping talks, movie screenings and Fairtrade talks. We encourage staff and students to contribute with ideas for future events!
Staff from all departments and institutions are welcome to join the network to help us improve sustainability performance and contribute to a greener Bloomsbury. If you'd like to become a Green Champion, get in touch!

World Paper Free Day - 4 November 2016
November 04, 2016
Did you know that staff and students at School of Hygiene used more than 10 million sheets of paper (equivalent to 5,000 trees) over the past year?
The environmental impacts from paper use range from deforestation to air and water pollution, as a result of water manufacturing and treatment. Additionally, the paper industry uses more water to produce a tonne of product than any other industry and hazardous materials like bleach are used to provide us with bright white paper.
To reduce everyday paper use you can use some of the following tips:
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Use e-mails to send and receive documents.
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Print only the information you need from a document.
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Bring laptops or iPads to take notes in meetings if possible.
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If you have to print, print double-sided.
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Consider rationalisation of student handbooks provided.

ISO 14001 Certification and EcoCampus Platinum Award
June 30, 2016
Following a rigorous audit process, our School has achieved Certification to ISO 14001 International Standard for Environmental Management Systems, with EcoCampus Platinum Status. This award, which also applies to SOAS and Birkbeck through Bloomsbury Colleges Environment Partners recognises the progress made in reducing environmental impact and carbon emissions, as well as compliance with all relevant environmental legislation. It also acknowledges the commitment to follow through on environmental improvement plans future, as we work towards ambitious carbon reduction targets. All staff and students can contribute to these plans.
Fairtrade Accreditation
October 10, 2015
Bloomsbury Colleges assign great importance in enhancing Fairtrade and the sustainable production of food and other products. Birkbeck and London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine are Fairtrade accredited Universities; they actively support awareness around Fairtrade and increase the number of Fairtrade products being sold at the refectories and university shops.