Ideas Inbox & Funding Pot

Help shape a more sustainable University of Bonn!

All members of the University of Bonn can help make it a more sustainable place!

Got ideas for boosting sustainability at the University? Send us an email with your ideas. Got a specific project in mind? Apply for funding.

Many innovative ideas and projects have already been brought to life thanks to the ideas inbox and the “Sustainability” funding pot:

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Preston Browning / Unsplash

Application for funding: biodiversity on University land

The “Mowing Management” working group is committed to bringing about a substantial and visible improvement in biodiversity in our University’s green spaces.

The project is geared toward managing the mowing of the green spaces in Endenich and Poppelsdorf in a more sustainable way in order to increase biodiversity and the number of flowering plants for pollinating insects.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Andrik Langfield / Unsplash

Application for funding: sustainable mobility on the Wiesengut

The Agroecology and Organic Farming Group is keen to make transportation to and between the external sites in Hennef and Klein-Altendorf more sustainable.

The current journey is set to become easier and more flexible by providing a wide range of bicycles, which will also enable a drastic reduction in CO2 emissions.

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© Volker Lannert

Application for funding: Klein-Altendorf Sustainability Campus

The “Sustainability Campus Klein-Altendorf” serves as a hub for the development of resource-conserving products and processes. It pursues a targeted communications strategy to raise awareness of its work both within the university community and externally. Knowledge transfer to society is driven through filmed reports, photo documentation, and a modern homepage. 

Further information is available here.

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© freepik

Sustainable idea: LED lighting

Through its energy management mandate, the University of Bonn is working intensively on the topic of lighting. First and foremost, the University is successively replacing existing bulbs with energy-efficient LEDs. This is one way to save energy and other valuable resources long-term.

Eine Wissenschaftlerin und ein Wissenschaftler arbeiten hinter einer Glasfassade und mischen Chemikalien mit Großgeräten.
© Colourbox

Sustainable idea: saving paper

Following a slew of feedback from University members, the extensive course catalog will no longer be printed from the 2021/22 winter semester onward and will be replaced by digital formats.

The much-loved forsch will also be sent out electronically from now on, with printed copies only available on request.

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© Relevo

Sustainable idea: Reusable dishes to take away food from campus canteens

With the start of the 2022/23 winter semester, Studierendenwerk Bonn has rolled out a new app-based re-use system devised by Relevo in University of Bonn canteens, aimed at effectively reducing disposable packaging and waste. In addition to the recent introduction of a reusable “Logicup” for coffee, this represents yet another step closer to making University canteens more sustainable.

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© Colourbox

Application for funding: Plogging

Plogging combines collecting trash with jogging. In other words, you get the good feeling of making the world a bit of a better place while also doing something for your own health.

Plogging is being trialled as a pilot project as part of the University Sports program thanks to start-up financing from the funding pot.

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© Gregor Hübl/Universität Bonn

Application for funding: Bike repair stations on University premises

To promote the use of bikes among University members and the general public, the University of Bonn is setting up bike repair stations at its campuses in the city, Poppelsdorf and Endenich. Offering cyclists a quick and free way to fix issues, the stations contribute to lowering of CO2 emissions and traffic noise and improving overall health.

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© Barbara Frommann/Universität Bonn

Application for funding: scything courses for the sustainable upkeep of the University’s green spaces

Green spaces belonging to the University are to be mowed in a zero-emission, environmentally friendly and virtually noiseless way thanks to regular scything courses offered by the Institute of Crop Science and Resource Conservation (INRES).

Being mowed less often means that the land will be cared for sustainably and the development of a rich variety of plant species will be encouraged.

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© freepik/Oleksandr Ryzhkov

Application for funding: sustainable land use thanks to agrivoltaics

In the spirit of sustainability, raised solar panels are to be installed in the University of Bonn’s Botanic Garden to enable food to be grown and solar power to be generated in the same space.

The crops will grow underneath the panels, which will be positioned so as to let enough light through for the plants to thrive. This will also protect them against extreme weather events such as hail and heavy rain.

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© Colourbox

This space could be used to introduce your project!

We look forward to hearing about your ideas and projects regarding sustainability—join in now!

Sustainable University Hospital Bonn

Innovative sustainability measures are also being promoted at the University Hospital Bonn. A project entitled “ShrinkMyTrash” aims to reduce greenhouse emissions from volatile anesthetics, and reusable products are being introduced into the surgical field where appropriate. More on these and other fascinating sustainability projects at the University Hospital Bonn can be found here:

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