1. General
The Guild of Physics strives to promote sustainable development goals in its activities. The purpose of the sustainability guidelines is to promote ecological sustainability and domesticity in particular. The sustainability guideline is largely based on AYY’s guidelines for sustainable development and already established operating methods in Otaniemi’s student culture.
2. Food and drink
In the events organized by the Guild of Physics, the aim is to take into account the origin and the environmental effects of the food and drinks served. The Guild of Physics does not serve meat at its events, excluding domestic game, fish, and insects. When choosing the products to be served, completely plant-based foods and drinks are preferred.
2.1. Vegetables
Good sources of plant proteins are for example: beans, lentils, seitan, tofu, oats, soy, quinoa and mushrooms. Regarding vegetables, domestic seasonal vegetables are preferred, which can be found, for example, in the Harvest Season Calendar.
2.2. Fish
If fish is chosen to be served, preference is given to small fish from nearby waters and lakes. You can rely on WWF’s fish guide when choosing fish.
2.3. Dairy products
The aim is to replace dairy products with plant-based alternatives. If dairy products end up being used, domestic organic production is preferred.
2.4. Eggs
The use of chicken eggs is avoided when possible, but organic eggs are preferred if necessary.
Tip:
Often in baking, you can just leave out the egg and the recipe still works well, for example in shortbread dough. You can also easily find completely vegan recipes on the internet.
2.5. Surplus food minimization
Before buying the food, it should be checked whether the raw material is already available at the guild. In the guild room and the guild storage, you can often find, for example, spices and dry food items. Access to the storage can be requested from IE. The aim is to prepare only the necessary amount of food. However, implementing this in practice is sometimes difficult, so the extra food is distributed to the participants or openly to everyone by using, for example, Telegram groups intended for distributing free food. The primary goal is to find a solution for surplus food other than throwing it in the trash.
2.6. Drinks
Fully plant-based drinks and organic or otherwise ecologically produced options are preferred, such as those with the Vihreä valinta (Green Choice) or Eettinen (Ethical) label. All alcohol served at events must be purchased in Finland.
3. Acquisitions
In all acquisitions, the aim is to consider whether the acquisition is definitely necessary, or whether the need could be met, for example, by borrowing or renting. Purchases bought recycled are preferred, and when buying new, high-quality and Finnish products are preferred.
3.1. Decoration and Merchandise Purchases
When buying new property for the guild, the aim is to favor products manufactured as close as possible. When buying new goods, the aim is to invest in the quality of the products. It is good to find out if it is possible to find the product in good quality as used, for example at recycling centers or online flea markets. It is good to consider the possibility of repairing broken or worn products. It is also possible to extend the life of some items with good care, for example by laminating board game instructions.
3.2. Acquisitions when organizing events
3.2.1. Garbage and recycling
At large events, such as sitsit, there is a lot of garbage, so attention should be paid to minimizing the amount of this garbage and its recyclability. By planning in advance, you can influence the amount and quality of trash, and by using a little more energy on the day of the event, you can recycle more trash.
Tip:
Already in the preparation of the event, you should clearly set the trash for different types of waste ready, so that when you are in a hurry, you will find the right trash and not end up in mixed waste.
3.2.2. Decorations
When planning decorations, the amount of trash can be greatly affected. It is good to think about the essentiality of the decorations and prefer to choose things as decorations that do not need to be thrown in the trash after use. In particular, all single-use plastic decorations should be avoided. Good decorations are lights that can be used several times, as well as Finnish plants and cut flowers.
Tips:
In connection with the theme of the event, some objects that can be brought, for example, from the organizers’ home, are often suitable as decorations.
Often, decorations, for example Smökki’s roof sheets, can also be suitable for use in several consecutive events, which reduces the amount of trash. In this case, you should agree with others who are organizing an event in the same space in the coming days, whether it would be possible to collaborate on the decorations.
3.2.3. Dishes
For dishes, real dishes are preferred instead of disposable ones. If disposable containers are used, try to choose cardboard and biodegradable ones instead of plastic ones. For example, the aim would be to collect cardboard containers that are clean enough to be recycled separately during cleaning.
3.3. Printed matter
When ordering guild clothing and other guild products, we aim to favor Finnish products and products produced in Finland, or products produced as close as possible. For paper products, a company that prints the products in Finland or as close as possible is chosen, and in addition, an option with an FSC certificate or a similar mark is preferred.
4. Annual parties
When organizing an annual party, the aim is to follow the same principles in acquisitions and decoration as when organizing other events. For both requested and given anniversary gifts, intangible or recycled gifts are preferred.
5. Traveling
When traveling, it is primarily preferred to travel by land, for which the aim is to use public transport. The necessity of flying and traveling by ship is assessed separately for each trip.
5.1. Traveling by land
Traveling by land is generally the most environmentally friendly form of travel. Public transport is primarily preferred. When booking a trip for a larger group, charter or train is preferred. If traveling by private car, carpooling is preferred.
5.2. Traveling by ship
If there is a need for ship travel, the aim is to choose more ecological ferry options. We prefer ships that use renewable or more environmentally friendly forms of energy to travel.
5.3. Air travel
Air travel should primarily be avoided, as air travel is the most environmentally burdensome form of travel. If air travel is necessary, direct flights via Finnair are preferred. The aim is to avoid low-cost airlines. Lighter luggage, such as traveling with hand luggage only, also minimizes emissions. Compensation for emissions from air travel will be investigated in the future.
The board has the right to modify the instructions in its meetings so that the content and main features remain the same, for example updating links or adding tips.