The apostolic preference "To take care of the common house" must be grounded in each of the institutions and persons of our province. The University of Deusto has set a first example with the programme of good environmental practices “Haritza (Oak)”, the first phase of which has been successfully completed. A total of 18 teams, representing 10% of the university community, participated in this initiative which offers tools to contribute to the efficient management of resources and the reduction of waste in the working environment.

The aim is for workers to acquire sustainable habits that will help them move towards a more aware, responsible and involved university in caring for the environment. The Environmental Sustainability team of the University Social Responsibility Plan (RSU) of the University of Deusto has led this project which is inspired by the Clover Program of the University of Cordoba and the Green Office Program of Harvard University.

This programme involves group participation, colleagues from departments, areas or services, and consists of four levels, from lowest to highest commitment, in which a series of sustainable actions related to energy, waste, purchasing, consumption, transport and teaching are put into practice. Using recycled office material, carrying out procedures online or prioritizing the use of digital tools in classrooms are some of the 23 actions proposed in this first phase. Other recommendations that the different teams have been incorporating into their daily activity are the use of natural light and ventilation, using the elevator as little as possible and the use of alternative means of transport to the car, in addition to others.

All the teams participating in this first phase have achieved the committed results and new synergies have also been generated, such as the launch of an app to share transport to the university and between campuses.

At the end of this first phase, the teams have moved on to the next level. More information about Haritza program here.