USJ Environmental Action Programme
The USJ Environmental Action Programme seeks to continuously improve the University’s sustainability and the environment by embracing a green living attitude and providing education and activities that allow students and staff to explore, understand, engage and solve environmental issues. Our main goal is to be sustainable in all aspects through our Green Campus Operations and promotion of Recycling Programme, Food Waste Reduction Programme, Water Management and Environmental Conservation, along with Partnerships and Collaboration.
ENVIRONMENTAL ACTION AT THE USJ GREEN CAMPUS
Inaugurated in 2019, the headquarter of the University of Saint Joseph, located in Ilha Verde, is a living and breathing campus.
Adjacent to the Ilha Verde hill and overlooking an open sky, the University offers an open plan faculty where students and staff can feel at one with nature. The fully equipped campus incorporates many green technologies, including:
- Rain water harvesting and recycling systems
- Ledger green strips and fins
- Roof Gardens
- Low transmission glazing
- Cross-flow ventilation chimneys
- Solar electricity panels
- Solar hot water heating
- Energy recovery in ventilation systems and chillers
- Low consumption bulbs and LED bulbs
RECYCLING PROGRAMME & SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY
At USJ, we minimise and actively manage waste through the 3R’s principle: Reduce, Reuse and Recycle.
A separate waste collection system for batteries, ink and toner cartridges and recycling bins are placed around campus. A carbon-points machine that collects plastic bottles in exchange for prizes is also located on the ground floor in high visibility and easy access area.
We strongly advocate the ban of single-use plastics, and for that, we have placed water refill stations on each level to provide clean and safe drinking water to avoid the need of purchasing single-use water bottles.
Activities Highlights:
Academic Year 2022 – 2023
- New Students Equipped with Resources for Success and Oriented to Sustainable Development Goals (SDG)
Academic Year 2021 – 2022
- USJ and Britcham held World Environment Day 2022
- Visit of MES Students to Kashun Environmental Protection Technology Co., Ltd.
- FBL held a workshop on SDG 11: Sustainable cities and communities
- USJ building bridges between Fashion and Sustainability
- Ongoing partnership with Macao for Waste Reduction NGO for plastic sorting and recycling: results for the first 6 months
- Waste Handling Campaign in Ilha Verde Campus
- A “Mother’s Meal” Christmas
- Positive turn up in Macao for Waste Reduction Event at USJ Ilha Verde Campus
- USJ collected clothing and goods donations to the Salvation Army
- Visit to VANNEX – Bridging Research and Practice
- USJ x Salvation Army Recycling Program
- USJ Architecture Students Radical Green Architecture Concepts Proposal for Ilha Verde
- USJ’s Institute of Science and Environment at the”Science and Technology Week 2018 and Chinese Civilisation and Innovation Exposition”
- Conference Series: Encyclical Letter “LAUDATO SI” on Care for Our Common Home
- Field trip to Hong Kong Tuen Mun Eco park (Master & PhD students)
- Field trip to Hong Kong Tuen Mun Eco park
- Sands China Eco-360 Sustainability Tour
- Sands China Seminar on Sustainable Practices
- Visits to Ecological Sites in Macao
- Research Projects
- Public Lectures on Science and Environment
- MRI Forum on Environmental Protection
FOOD WASTE REDUCTION PROGRAMME
We are continuously seeking new ways to prevent and reduce one of the world’s most critical issues, food waste, by teaching and learning new methods and strategies to improve our operations, disseminate knowledge, and find solutions.
Activities Highlights:
Academic Year 2022 – 2023
- USJ introduces a food waste monitoring system developed by Winnow Solutions in Ilha Verde campus canteen in partnership with Wynn Macau
- USJ and Wynn Macao signed MOU for “Cherish Food and Waste Reduction-Smart Technology Application Outreach Program”
- University of Saint Joseph participates in an international project to Fight Against Hunger
Academic Year 2021 – 2022
- USJ members volunteer at “Mother’s Meal” in the Advent 2021
- USJ members volunteer at “Mother’s Meal” on World Day of the Poor
- A Green Tour of the Wynn Palace
- Roundtable: Food waste Prevention (in Macau/HK): Situation – challenges – recommendations
- International Workshop on Food Loss and Waste Prevention targeting the Southeast and East Asian region
- Sands China Eco-360 Sustainability Tour
- Sands China Seminar on Sustainable Practices
- Public Lecture: Fluorinated compounds in the environment – routes and fate of biodegradation
- Public Lecture: Franz Gasner: “On Food, Trees, and Calming Storms: Why Food Waste Prevention Matters”
WATER MANAGEMENT AND ENVIRONMENTAL CONSERVATION
USJ aims to contribute to sustainable water management and environmental conservation within the institution and the general society. With that aim, USJ promotes research, workshops and educational programmes open to the community, awareness events, and other projects and activities.
A key element in our strategy is the USJ Institute of Science and Environment that focuses on Environmental Sciences, contributing to understanding sustainability issues and providing a dynamic, engaging and international learning environment in Macao.
Activities Highlights:
Academic Year 2022 – 2023
- ISE Science Seminar | Air Quality and Climate Change – Policies and Measures for a Double Win
- ISE Science Seminar | Review of Passive Acoustics Monitoring Results in the Coastal Waters of Western Taiwan
- ISE Science Seminar | Environmental and Ecological Characterization of Seagrass Halophila beccarii in Zhuhai, China
- ISE Science Seminar | Environmental research: from Hong Kong to polar regions, from harmful algal blooms to beneficial microalgae industry
- ISE Public Seminar | Plate tectonics, big earthquakes, and tsunamis (examples of Portugal and South China)
- ISE + FAH Public Lecture | Beach plastics and art
- Spring 2023 Coastal Cleanup
- Year-end Coastal Cleanup 2022
- ISE Science Seminars | Plastics in the South China Sea: a shared problem and responsibility
- Open Talk | ISE Science Seminars: Plastic Pollution Series
- Workshop: Measuring Microplastics in the Coastal Environment: A Citizen Science Workshop
- ISE Promotes Macao’s Mangrove Conservation at the Urban Biodiversity and Data Technology Forum 2023
- University of Saint Joseph’s Sea of Plastic Exhibition Culminates with Opening and Award Ceremony
- The Sea of Plastic Exhibition Opening: A great success
- ISE’s Plastic Pollution and Mangroves Exhibition continues
- ISE holds Plastic Pollution and Mangroves Talk in Pui Ching Middle School
- USJ/ISE hosted a lab tour and a microplastics workshop for members of Britcham, and teachers from TIS and Dulwich International High School Zhuhai
- USJ Volunteer Team Cares Anima Macau Cat Paradise
- 2023 Spring Coastal Cleanup successfully held
- ISE/USJ successfully held the 42nd Macao Green Week Carnival
- ISE Delivers Talk on Coastal Wetlands to Young Learners at TIS Macao
- ISE holds Talk and Exhibition about Plastic Pollution and Mangrove at Instituto Salesiano
- ISE/USJ joins the Green Week mangrove planting campaign
- Year 2 Education and Social Work students become Environmental Scientists at Macao Green Week
- ISE launched the first of a series of environmental education activities for 2023
- USJ Environmental Artwork Competition
- ISE’s Mobile Exhibition “Macao’s Mangroves: A Coastal Treasure” to Macao schools. is back
- The USJ Institute of Science and Environment (ISE) successfully held the Microplastics Workshop for Citizen Scientists
- Coastal Cleanup Day with USJ Volunteers
Academic Year 2021 – 2022
- Mangroves project presented in an international workshop on Biodiversity and Climate
- USJ/ISE welcomed members of the Sheraton Grand Macao & The St. Regis Macao Hotel and Sands China on a visit to Macao’s ecological site
- Mangroves Talk in GEG Macao in Celebration of World Water Day
- The mobile mangroves exhibition opens in Portugal
- The ISE/USJ “Mangroves: A Coastal Treasure” interactive exhibition goes international
- Mangrove Planting Activity
- The Mangroves Exhibition goes mobile!
- Translating Science into Action to address the SDGs
- Exploring local environmental issues and building a green city together with the community
- Mangrove Planting along Taipa shoreline
- Open Public Lectures on Science and Environment
- Environmental Science Research
- Biological Science Research
- Earth and Marine Science Research
- Series of Public Lectures on the Sustainability of Aquatic Ecosystems and Water Resources
- Students and Staff Coastal Clean-Up
- Field trips to the local wetlands
- Drop by Drop: Sands Sustainability Department Seminar
- Waterfront Conceptual Design and Flood Control Facilities Design Forum
- Roundtable Discussion on the COP21 Agreement
- Eco Macau TrailHiker
- “Climate Change Adaptation – The Challenging Role of Higher Education Institutions”
PARTNERSHIPS AND COLLABORATIONS
USJ understands that its future and success, as well as the achievement of the sustainable development goals, depends on the development of a web of relationships with like-minded people and institutions throughout the world. Therefore, USJ collaborates with the government and several NGOs and business institutions in different collaboration projects.
Below you can find more information about the organisations and collaboration projects.
Want to get involved?
Whether you are a student, staff or member of the community, there are many opportunities for you to get involved in sustainability initiatives at USJ. If you have any ideas, events and research opportunities that you would like to share with us, please e-mail to the USJ Green Committee.
