We are committed to improving our sustainability agenda, reducing environmental impacts where possible around each of our campuses. We have a strong reputation for sustainability and to meet our ambitions, including our Net Zero by 2030 commitment, we need to reduce our impact and improve the culture of responsible action.
With offices and rooms in constant change, furniture items commonly come in and out of requirement.
We relaunched our Furniture Reuse Scheme in November 2019, avoiding immediate disposal and considering reuse offers a financial and environmental benefit.
By reusing items, we can:
- Save money by avoiding the procurement purchase of new items.
- Reduce waste by avoiding unnecessary disposal of items.
- Reduce emissions through the avoidance of manufacturing and transportation of new purchased items.
- Become a more sustainable organisation focusing on circular economy.
So far, we have been able to save £140,000 from the purchase of new items and saved 28 tonnes of furniture waste. As of 2023, we have expanded into providing and reusing stationery.
Please feel free to help yourself to our stocked shelf in Queen Mary Reception. Alternatively, if you would like free general or textbooks, they can be found in Queen Mary Café and Daniel Defoe Hall.
How can I request furniture items?
- Email Furniturereuse@greenwich.ac.uk
- In the email, clearly state the details, especially the dimensions of the requested item (e.g. straight desk- 160cm x 80cm)
- The Sustainability Team will try to match your request from the database and arrange the delivery of items with you*
- The Portering Teams across the University assist in moving your requested item(s) to you. Please be patient as it may take several days for your items to arrival, especially if they are arriving from a different campus.
*Items are only available for internal re-use. Requests are made on a first come first serve basis, so we apologise if the item you are requesting no longer is available. Finally, as some of these items may have been in storage for a little while, we always recommend a quick clean when your new item(s) arrive.
If you need an item whether that’s a desk chair, a table, or any other office items, feel free to get in touch with us furniturereuse@greenwich.ac.uk.
