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Pro-Ecological Initiative en PSY/EDUC et IPSY

PEI – What is it?

The goal of the PEI is to advance eco-responsible practices among the users of the shared building between the Faculty of Psychology (PSP), the Faculty of Education sciences (EDUC) and the Research Institute (IPSY).

Members discuss the practical implementation of various actions, with the aim of proposing these actions to the IPSY and PSP offices for validation and implementation within the faculty and institute.

A list of potential actions has been established:

How can IPSY become a "pro-ecological institute"?

  • Reduce waste during IPSY events (e.g., like at COSCI events where everyone brings their own cup)
  • Improve the recycling system. Could compost be included?
  • We propose that IPSY contributes to pro-ecological messages conveyed more broadly by the university thanks to its specific expertise in psychology (active participation in transition days, highlighting the importance of the human sciences in the climate crisis).
  • Better organization for waste recycling
  • Vegetarian (or vegan) can be the only (or main) option at IPSY events
  • Creation of an ecological charter for IPSY for organizing seminars, international congresses, etc.
  • Increase the sustainable use of digital technologies: increase the lifespan of PCs
  • Raise awareness among students: include topics in courses
  • Continue the central bin project (instead of an individual one in each office)
  • Reduce paper use (e.g., reduce the use of paper documents, increase the acceptance of digital signatures, no minimum amount of copies of theses to be printed, etc.)
  • Recycled paper in the printer
  • Any data stored on servers generates heat, so deleting old emails and documents is probably good practice
  • "Optimize" food and dishes for events (quantity, quality, packaging)
  • For each of the ideas/actions proposed in this padlet, have information about the projected impact (from experts?)
  • Switch off the lights (reminder)
  • Incentivize initiatives for ecological moving (for conferences for instance)
  • Be mindful of light usage, control artificial lights switched at night
  • Evaluate the carbon footprint of research evaluated by the ethics committee: Cost in energy? etc? But needs tools validated by the community
  • For conferences, people traveling with children receive support (e.g., childcare facilities) to come with their children (which makes things easier for people who traveled by train or decide to stay longer) (capitalize on their travel) (see Cambridge model)
  • Generalize the "small changes" inside the building (e.g., energy savings, heating)
  • Facilitate/promote alternatives to plane trips in Europe
  • Access to water fountains in the building, etc.
  • Exchange advice and experiences on train trips.
  • More bike facilities at IPSY.
  • Buy a second-hand computer at the end of your PhD if it is still working
  • Think about the "green option" for each coffee break
  • Generalize the "small changes" inside the building (e.g., energy savings, heating)
  • Propose to Marthe Nyssens to contribute to the sustainability policies of the university
  • Is it possible to let pro-ecology become a criteria for evaluations and promotions of researchers?
  • Carpooling

All other suggestions for actions are welcome via the online form. Toutes les autres suggestions d’actions sont les bienvenues via le . Suggestions will be examined on a regular basis.

Here is an overview of our past or ongoing actions:

  • Coffee grounds composting
  • Organization of a workshop on digital pollution and best practices (24/10/24). Register here:
  • Awareness posters on the use of elevators in the building

Who is involved?

A group of permanent members regularly attends the meetings.
Here is the list of current PEI members:
Ates Eloïse, Blanchard Marie, Brand Emma (représentante étudiants), Brevers Damien, Zoé Davreux, de Radiguès Marie, du Bus de Warnaffe Gauthier (représentant étudiants), Goffaux Valérie, Grenier Catherine,Maurage Pierre, Mikolajczak Moïra, Montedoro Calogero, Parmentier Chloé, Saliez Zoé, Senden Morgane, Anaïs Thibaut,  Van Audenhaege Alice, Siegrid Vanderveken

PEI meetings are also open to all other IPSY and PSP members, as well as students of the faculty.
Whether you are a professor, student, researcher, administrative staff, PhD student, or postdoc, if you wish to participate in improving practices within our institute and faculty to make them more ecological and responsible, you are welcome!

When are the meetings ?

PEI meetings take place once a month. Dates are set in advance.

The upcoming meetings will take place on:

  • Friday 11/10/2024 from 13h to 14h (room D312)
    • Agenda:
      • New members?
      • Use of fruit/vegetable baskets grown from coffee grounds compost
      • Selection of projects to be implemented for the academic years
  • Monday 18/11/2024 from 13h to 14h (room D312)
    • Agenda:
  • Tuesday 17/12/2024 from 13h to 14h (room D312)
    • Agenda:
  • Thursday 30/01/2025 from 13h to 14h (room E241)
    • Agenda: