University of Western Sydney

A word from UWS Vice-Chancellor
The University of Western Sydney is proud to be the official research partner for Earth Hour.

 UWS has been an active participant in Earth Hour since its inception, and we are pleased to be part of a worldwide movement that is helping people to think globally and act locally.

The UWS community is a strong supporter of initiatives which encourage people to consider the environmental consequences of their actions, and we encourage other organisations, businesses, schools and individuals to join with us and register as committed Earth Hour participants.

As a large organisation in Greater Western Sydney with a focus on teaching, learning and research, UWS takes a prominent role in promoting positive actions people can take to protect our planet.

While switching off for just one hour does save some energy, the conscious act of participating in Earth Hour helps to raise more widely awareness of the environmental impact of our everyday activities.

We are all helping to send a powerful message that we care about the future of the planet, and together, we can all take simple actions and make small adjustments in our lives that make a real difference.

UWS and Earth Hour
The University of Western Sydney is proud to be the official research partner for Earth Hour. UWS is one of Australia’s largest universities located in one of the nation’s fastest-growing regions, Greater Western Sydney, home to over 1.8 million people.

As a dynamic, modern university, UWS research ranks among the nation’s best – a major driver of new knowledge and innovation that is relevant to the lives of all Australians.

UWS is home to a $40 million climate change and renewable energy research facility - one of the most comprehensive centres of its kind in the world working on sustainable solutions for the future.

UWS scientists are creating physical ‘time machines’ to study the effects of climate change on cells through to entire ecosystems. Meanwhile, solar scientists at UWS are creating innovative, clean energy systems and solar driven water purification.

The University of Western Sydney recognises that climate change is one of the greatest challenges we face. Earth Hour provides an opportunity for all of us to make a practical contribution – not only by ‘switching off’ to help reduce our carbon footprint, but most importantly, ‘switching on’ our minds all year round to how we can create a greener, more sustainable planet.

Greening UWS
UWS practices what it teaches when it comes to environmental sustainability. It has taken a wide-ranging approach to make its campuses cleaner and greener, with its 'Greening UWS Taskforce' incorporating sustainable practices into the daily operations of the University.

UWS reduces its own ecological footprint in practical day-to-day ways including: energy efficient lighting; selecting energy and water efficient appliances; planting more trees to soak up greenhouse gases; and recycling materials including paper, ink, fax and toner cartridges and mobile phones.

The University is also trialling the generation of green power on campus.

Video conferencing facilities have been installed to cut down on trips between campuses and hybrid fleet cars are available to tread more lightly when trips are unavoidable.

Rainwater and stormwater is collected on campuses to irrigate low maintenance, water efficient, native gardens. Additionally, a water recycling scheme on the Hawkesbury campus sees approximately 700 mega-litres of recycled water and stormwater re-used each year.

New campus buildings are designed with environmental sustainable features and existing buildings are being adapted to incorporate environmentally-friendly components.

Through its own green initiatives, research, and community programs, UWS is focused on finding sustainable solutions for rapidly expanding urban communities like Greater Western Sydney.