Sustainability must be approached in an accessible way! We are the “Barrier Removal” working group! We are committed to ensuring that all students and staff at our university have equal opportunities and access, regardless of visible or invisible disabilities and limitations.

We view accessibility as an integral part of sustainability, because in an inclusive and just world, all people must be able to participate equally in society!

Our Goal

Our goal is to raise broad awareness of all possible barriers that one might encounter in everyday university life and to break them down step by step. To get an overview of which barriers currently exist at the university, we need your help. After all, barriers are incredibly complex and not immediately apparent to everyone. Even though we do our best, we’re not immune to ableism. Recognizing and overcoming it is a learning process that we want to tackle together with you.

That’s why we want to take into account the perspectives of people affected by barriers, but reducing barriers at this university is a task for everyone. That’s why everyone who wants to help build a more inclusive university is welcome in our working group. No prior knowledge is required! If you’d like to get involved or have ideas and suggestions, feel free to contact us at ag-barriere-abbau@uni-hamburg.de(ag-barriere-abbau"AT"uni-hamburg.de#Mail).

The Biodiversity Working Group is dedicated to protecting and promoting biodiversity on campus. Its initiatives include installing birdhouses and insect hotels, as well as organizing regular planting events. The group also offers workshops as part of various events and organizes field trips. The working group is also connected to the SO’s biodiversity management program.

More information on biodiversity

The Campus Marketing Working Group aims to improve the selection process for companies permitted to present themselves on the University of Hamburg campus, with a focus on the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).

The Bicycle-Friendly University Working Group addresses the issue of mobility at the university. The focus is on sustainable mobility—regardless of the mode of transportation used (or even without one). The group comprises representatives from a wide range of departments, including Campus Development, Construction and Health Management, University Sports, and Business Travel, as well as the AStA and the Fleet and Parking Management Team, along with members from various faculties.

The working group aims to increase the share of bicycle traffic and other forms of sustainable mobility. The emphasis is on active mobility. The group was founded by former colleagues from the KNU in connection with the first online survey conducted on the mobility behavior of University of Hamburg members.

Learn more here information on bicycle-friendliness at the University of Hamburg, including a service navigator and offerings for bicycle safety training. 

The FairTrade Working Group aims to offer (more) sustainable products in the dining halls, cafeterias, and at events over the long term. The group is currently focusing in particular on the FairTrade umbrella organization and a partnership with Hamburg’s Weltläden. Ideas such as the Fair-O-Mat are also on the horizon, as well as informational events on FairTrade and sustainable consumption.  

Would you like to help drive this transformation and establish sustainable chocolate on campus? Then get in touch at AG-FairTrade@uni-hamburg.de(AG-FairTrade"AT"uni-hamburg.de#Mail)!

The Sustainability Report Working Group supports the University of Hamburg’s Sustainability Office in collecting and analyzing data for the sustainability report. Our goal is to increase the involvement of the university community in the report and to create a space where ideas, criticism, and suggestions can be actively shared.

Together, we want to generate greater engagement with sustainability issues in order to shape the sustainability report into a participatory and effective tool for sustainable development at the University of Hamburg.

Every event at the University of Hamburg can be made more sustainable through concrete measures, thereby contributing to a better future. This isn’t just about reducing climate and environmental impacts, but also about acting in a more socially responsible manner. To this end, the Sustainable Events Working Group is developing guidelines and a checklist designed to support the planning and execution of sustainable events.

We also aim to standardize the process of assessing the sustainability impact after the fact. To this end, we plan to develop an online tool designed to simplify event planning. We welcome any support! You can reach the Sustainable Events Working Group at ag-nachhaltige-events"AT"uni-hamburg.de.

The Energy Conservation Working Group has set itself the goal of significantly reducing electricity consumption at the University of Hamburg. The latest climate report shows that energy consumption accounts for the largest share of the university’s emissions. To address this challenge, we are implementing various measures. These include identifying major electricity consumers and developing and implementing appropriate energy-saving strategies. At the same time, we emphasize smaller measures, such as turning off devices in standby mode and unplugging devices that continue to consume electricity even when turned off.

Our Goal

We want to raise awareness within the university community about the responsible use of electricity, and we are convinced that every kilowatt-hour saved makes an important contribution to climate protection. Therefore, we welcome any support to help us significantly reduce the university’s electricity consumption together and shape a more sustainable future.

The Energy Conservation Working Group can be reached at stromsparen@uni-hamburg.de(stromsparen"AT"uni-hamburg.de#Mail).

The Sustainable Food Working Group aims to make the food offerings in Hamburg’s student dining halls more sustainable. To this end, the working group has joined forces with an existing group from the AStA and the University of Hamburg’s Green Office. This group had already presented several demands to the Student Services Organization (STW) and has been in constant communication with the STW ever since.

Together, they organized, among other things, a day of action for World Vegan Day and action weeks during “Veganuary.” In addition, the vegan “Pottkieker dish” fulfilled the demand for at least one vegan dish per day in every cafeteria.

Future Plans

Looking ahead, the working group’s agenda now includes establishing more fully vegetarian/vegan cafeterias and increasing the proportion of vegan dishes and snacks. The working group bases its demands on the Planetary Health Diet, a more sustainable and healthier way of eating that operates within the limits of the planet’s resources. The working group also advocates for reducing single-use tableware and packaging. Anyone interested is welcome to support the working group at any time! 

The Sustainable Food Working Group can be reached at ag-sustainable-food"AT"uni-hamburg.de. 

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Sustainability initiatives at the University of Hamburg have so far been concentrated on the main campus. However, commitment and networking are also needed at other locations to make the university more sustainable. That’s why our working group is specifically looking for students and staff who work entirely or partially at locations away from the main campus to help expand our sustainability efforts.

To this end, we’re looking for both existing sustainability initiatives that could benefit from networking with the Sustainability Office and other working groups, as well as people who are interested in launching new projects to advance sustainability in their faculty.

Whether it’s a stereo system, a SUP board, a drill, or a trekking tent—borrow, lend, rent, or list items for rent easily and securely. The UHH-Teilt Working Group is committed to sustainability because we see sharing as a key step toward solving the climate crisis. The UHH-Teilt Working Group is dedicated to this goal and advocates for sustainable resource consumption at the University of Hamburg. We promote the reuse of used items to extend their lifespan, and to this end, we utilize the University of Hamburg’s own University of Hamburg’s sharing community.

This allows all members to borrow and lend their items—fully insured at no cost—and easily save money in the process. In addition, we work to raise awareness of responsible resource use and to strengthen environmental, social, and economic sustainability. 

Our Mission

We’re bringing sharing back to the heart of society! With a free app for the University of Hamburg. 

Our Vision:

Use resources sustainably. Make sharing the norm.

A key goal of the project is to strengthen biodiversity in the city and promote environmental education. Anyone interested is invited to actively help shape Wurzelwerk and gain hands-on experience in gardening. The Wurzelwerk at the Von-Melle-Park campus has already been redesigned based on a natural garden concept. Another Wurzelwerk is currently being developed at the Bahrenfeld campus.

Meetings

The working group usually meets on Thursdays starting at 4:00 p.m. on-site. In addition, activities and events take place from time to time on the Wurzelwerk grounds.

Contact

To stay up to date, you can follow us on Instagram @wurzelwerkgarten or the Telegram info channel .

You can also reach us by email at wurzelwerk"AT"uni-hamburg.de —we look forward to hearing from you!