From November 23rd to November 26th, with the support of the Foundation of Student Associations of Zhejiang University, the International Student Union (ISU) successfully organized Sustainability Month - a series of events designed to raise awareness among students, directing their attention to the environmental challenges our planet faces, and inspiring them to take action for an eco-friendly lifestyle. Through a variety of meaningful and creative green initiatives, participants were encouraged to contribute towards a more sustainable future together.

Sustainability Month was packed with versatile activities, including online environmental challenges, offline discussions, and creative up-cycling and recycling. The event kicked off with a collaboration between ISU Academics Department and the ZJU Foreign Language Association (FLA), hosting both English Corner and Chinese Corner. These events, that attracted many participants, featured engaging games and thought-provoking discussions around sustainable living. Students were able to make friends from different countries and share culturally diverse approaches towards environment protection, they actively engaged in green discussions, that helped them enhance their awareness of ecological issues.

On November 25th, four departments of ISU joined forces to create a well-rounded eco-experience. Through various interactive activities, they provided a platform for the wider Zhejiang University community to explore and actively contribute to sustainable development.

The Culture & Arts Department, under the theme of Eco-Arts, led students to create imaginative pieces using eco-friendly materials like used paper, leaves, and flowers. Making these artworks not only allowed the students to showcase their talents and creativity but also to learn sustainability concepts and experience more sustainable methods to create art while protecting the environment.

The Welfare & Volunteering Department launched an initiative named Bottle to Bloom, encouraging students to repurpose used plastic bottles into unique flowerpots. This activity highlighted the value of up-cycling, giving participants a chance to take practical steps towards environmental conservation.

The Sports & Recreation Department organized “Paper Plane Competition” and “Cardboard Boomerang Workshop”, emphasizing the importance of recycling by advocating the creative use of old paper and cardboard. These games allowed students to see past the single use of these recyclable materials, providing an enjoyable and friendly environment for it.

To raise awareness about carbon footprints and methods to reduce them, the Health Services Department guided students on how to calculate their personal carbon footprints and, through fun and interactive quizzes, brought attention to the environment impact of the students’ everyday actions and the importance of cultivating green practices.

Furthermore, the Creative Media Department shared tips on eco-friendly habits and environment protection concepts through social media, creating a video titled Small Efforts Lead to Big Change”. This aimed to encourage every student to adopt simple sustainable practices in their daily lives.

Following the successful conclusion of the Sustainability Month series, we extend our heartfelt thanks to every participant, whose enthusiasm illuminated this journey! Looking forward, let’s persist in our efforts, and continue contributing towards a more bright and sustainable future.

Thanks for the support of the Foundation of Student Associations of Zhejiang University.

Text : Alyona,Nivi, FENG Gong