This 10 step plan was co-authored by myself and Tom Chance. It was originally intended for The Ecologist, however it was never published. This plan was meant to be published alongside the main article.
1) Find out if there is an environmental or People & Planet group in your University or college. People & Planet is the largest student network in Britain and campaigns to protect the environment, alleviate world poverty and defend human rights. They have a network of over 100 groups at schools and universities across the UK. If one doesn't exist near you, start your own one up with friends. Either way contact People & Planet for more information on 01865 245678, gogreen@peopleandplanet.org or look at their website at http://www.peopleandplanet.org.
2) Once there are a few of you dedicated to making your University environmentally friendly, you need to plan your campaign. The most important thing is to find out who in the university has the power to make the switch to Green electricity. Although several University staff will be involved in making the decision to switch to green electricity, including an energy or estates manager, you crucially need the support of the Vice-Chancellor (VC) otherwise your campaign will go nowhere.
3) Your initial approach to the University is crucial. It will be the first time that your VC has heard about the campaign. You should write an open letter stating your demands and rationale. Your approach will be far stronger if you write a letter that is signed by several important people at your University. This will make it harder for the VC or Energy Manager to say "No" straight away, which you definitely want to avoid. People who could sign your letter include the Students' Union President or senior academics in key departments (e.g. Geography, International Relations, etc). This will also help build up a community of academics and students working together.
4) Get in touch with the campus paper and if you have time, the local press. Make sure they come along to your events and any meetings you hold with University staff. With the campus paper it is usually as easy as popping into the office and asking them to cover your event. If they don't want to cover your stories, offer to write the article yourself and provide the pictures. At Reading University we became so fed-up with the lack of coverage that we convinced them to give the Campaigns Forum a page in the paper where we could discuss environmental, political and developmental issues. You can also advertise when your meetings are in the paper and at your events to try and get more people involved.
5) Soon after you first contact the VC it would also be wise to gain the support of your local MP's and MEP's. Write them a letter or book an appointment to see them and talk it through (find out who your local representatives are at http://www.theyworkforyou.com.). We gained the support of one MEP and two MP's with a few letters and one personel meeting. Politicians are supposed to be representing their constituents, so let them give you the integrity and credibility needed for your campaign.
6) After you've sent your first letter, you should launch a public campaign before your VC has had a chance to reply. Hold a protest, run a stall, do a press stunt - use your imagination. Make sure that wherever you're based you'll get the attention of both the VC and lots of students. During your events get as many people as possible to sign a petition calling for the University to make the switch. We got about 1,000 signatures after holding several events and talking to hundreds of students and staff. Make sure you're honest with the students if you think they may have to pay a few pounds more, e.g. in hall fees if your Uni will displace a small increase in cost onto them. Electricity markets fluctuate wildly, so don't pretend cheap deals are guaranteed.
7) Send a report to the VC. In your initial report you will need to outline what you mean by "green electricity" i.e. that it doesn't include nuclear, CHP and fossil fuels; why the University should make the switch; what universities have already made the switch (to show that it is a viable option); and what green suppliers are out there. If you need help writing this contact us (contact@readingcampaigns.org.uk) or People & Planet and we can send you our previous reports to build on.
8) Arrange to meet the VC and energy manager in person. You will need to be well prepared for this meeting - this is your chance to impress them. Make sure you bring your petition to show public support for the campaign. Ask all the questions you need to, try and get them to make commitments to green electricity and ask to arrange a future meeting with the energy manager to discuss the issues further. If the VC refuses to meet you try asking the Students' Union (SU) President to lobby him or her to agree to a meeting. The SU President will probably have regular meetings with the VC and may be able to put the issue on the agenda.
9) Keep the pressure on as you are in for the long haul with this campaign. Don't expect immediate results (although they may happen if you have open and receptive staff) - it took us 2 years and many meetings with the energy staff before we convinced the University to make the switch. Our most important achievement in these meetings was to get the University to change it's energy policy. This ensured that whenever the University's energy contract comes up for renewal, green electricity will always be chosen for the residential sector and, as long as it is financially viable, it will be given first preference for the commercial sector. This made green electricity sustainable beyond our time at the University.
10) Try and keep it fun. A creative and colourful green electricity campaign will get more people involved, attract more coverage from the press and get more students to sign your petition. We held a few open-mic nights in our Union where we interspersed local music with brief talks on what we were doing and how students could get involved. In Cambridge, the People & Planet group received press coverage by dressing up in lifejackets and building a mock 'lifeboat' to draw attention to the flooding that will result from climate change. It's also important to celebrate any positive news publicly, both for activists, for the students who may yet get involved, and to keep the pressure on the University. The possibilities are endless - just be creative and good luck.
