A group of Forth Valley College ESOL students have highlighted the college’s commitment to sustainability, by contacting a national newspaper’s ‘Last Straw’ campaign.
Daniela Jazmin Cespedes Celedon, Justyna Trzybinska, Maciej Pochodaj – who are on the English for Speaker of Other Languages (ESOL) for Employability course – contacted the Sunday Mail recently to let them know about FVC’s commitment to lowering its carbon footprint and replacing plastic straws and cutlery with compostable alternatives.
The college’s name appeared in the Sunday Mail's Roll of Honour on 4 February, along with a quote from FVC Principal Dr Ken Thomson. He was delighted with the efforts of the ESOL group and said: “For more than a year we have been using compostable Vegware cutlery in the refectories of all three of our campuses in line with our forward thinking aim of reducing our carbon footprint. We are now delighted to say that all the straws we offer across the whole college are made from the same material.”
Access and Progression Department Lecturer, Annemarie Harley, said: “As part of their ‘Sustainable Development’ unit of their course, the group applied the English language skills they have learned in a real life context. In this case, they wrote to the FVC staff responsible for ordering supplies for the student refectories and The Gallery restaurant.
“They were delighted with the response from the hospitality staff at the college, which was to immediately replace plastic straws with compostable ones.
“The group were also keen for Forth Valley College to be the first college on the Sunday Mail’s Roll of Honour on the ‘The Last Straw’ campaign, to ditch plastic straws. So they contacted the paper to let them know that FVC is now using compostable straws. The students have enjoyed the experience.”
Daniela Jazmin Cespedes Celedon, who is originally from Chile, said: "I really enjoyed doing this project, I like to be aware of the environment and to do something to improve our college."
Justyna Trzybinska, from Poland, explained: “Taking care of the environment is very important to me, this should be important for each of us. Doing even small things to save the environment is better than doing nothing.”
Maciej Pochodaj, also from Poland, said: ‘I have enjoyed being part of this project and using my English skills to help the college to become even more sustainable. Helping is important, It is a small thing for us, but huge for the environment.”