Campaign to Cut Drain on Wasted Water

by Sylvia Murphy

London College of Fashion will lead a campaign aimed at reducing University of the Arts' water usage by 30 per cent by 2010.  

The Water Amnesty campaign, which launches early November, will aim to raise student and staff awareness about the university’s water consumption.

Fifty per cent of the savings made through the campaign will be donated to the One Water charity, who provide clean drinking water to communities in Africa.

Three other universities, the University of Sheffield, the University of Westminster and the University of Ulster, will also be taking part in the initiative.  

According to newscientist.com, it requires roughly 25 bath tubs of water to produce one cotton t-shirt leading to water deprived countries losing significant amounts of water from their lakes to make t-shirts.  

Due to the nature of its arts-focused courses and their requirements, UAL’s water consumption tends to be greater than that of other universities, making the campaign challenging for UAL.

Social Cooperation  

Professor Helen Storey, a research fellow at LCF and one of the main campaign representatives, said: “The spirit behind the initiative is two fold: to pilot a new model of social cooperation between the sectors of education, business and charity, by appealing to all humans within university life and to help universities themselves become greener in their use of vital natural resources.”  

Practical ideas being introduced by the university to help reach its target include the installation of ‘hippos’, a gadget that reduces the amount of water wasted through flushing the toilet by 33 per cent.

Colleges will also look to replace leaking pipes and place stickers on sinks, reminding students not to leave taps running.  

Professor Storey added: “The great thing about water amnesty is that everyone can get involved; it’s so easy and, collectively, we will have a massive impact on our water consumption.”  

Play to pump

ONE Water provides PlayPump water systems to deprived communities in Africa.

The PlayPump is crafted like a roundabout and as children spin it, fresh, clean water is pumped from a borehole into a storage tank for use by the entire community; one hour of play pulls up around 1,000 litres of clean water.  

The Water Amnesty further highlights LCF’s commitment to pursuing sustainable practices.

Last year, the college held its first Fashioning the Future summit, which included a catwalk show featuring clothing designed by students using eco-friendly fabrics.

A similar event is due to take place at LCF later this year.