TUS flying Green Flag for sustainability
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Darragh Wynne, TUS Sustainability coordinator, Valentina Stampa and Deirdre O’Carroll, both from An Taisce; Professor Vincent Cunnane, president of TUS; Dr Maeve O’ Reilly, vice-chairperson of the Green-Campus Committee, and Dr Gary Stack, chairperson of the Green-Campus Committee, at the unveiling of the Green Flag on the Athlone campus.Image 2 of 3
Staff and students gather to raise the An Taisce Green Flag over the Athlone campus.Image 3 of 3
Professor Vincent Cunnane, president of TUS, hoists the Green Flag over the Athlone Campus.Technological University of the Shannon (TUS) have officially raised the Green Flag on their Athlone Campus.
The award recognises the University’s excellence in environmental management, and it came after a rigorous assessment process including a visit to the campus on November 12.
The panel commended the Green Campus Committee’s, “energy, creativity and strong engagement with both the campus and wider community” and highlighted, “the strong progress under the litter and waste theme and clear evidence of a data-driven and inclusive approach”.
University president, Professor Vincent Cunnane, had the task of raising the flag, symbolising the collective effort of the staff and students in the Athlone Campus to introduce and instil sustainable practices into everyday campus life.
He said: “The Green Flag is a visible and meaningful recognition of the work taking place across our campuses to protect the environment and reduce our impact.
“Sustainability is a core priority for TUS. It shapes how we operate as an organisation, how we develop our campuses, and how we develop our campuses, and how we educate the next generation of graduates.”
He added that the achievement reflects the dedication and work put in by the staff and students through the Green-Campus structure, including improvements in waste segregation and recycling, litter-reduction initiatives, environmental awareness campaigns, and data-led monitoring of campus performance.
The flag follows the successful renewal of those at the TUS Thurles and Clonmel campuses, where recently, an An Taisce panel praised their strong performances regarding wasted and litter, biodiversity and integrating sustainability into teaching practices, student learning and day to day campus operations.
Professor Cunnane addressed the success of TUS campuses in the Green-Campus initiative. “With the Athlone campus joining Thurles and Clonmel as Green Flag campuses, this achievement reflects a growing, university- wide commitment to practical, measurable climate and environmental action.”
Dr Gary Stack, a lecturer and Green-Campus chairperson at the Athlone campus, also spoke on the importance of the award. “It reflects the dedication of the students and staff of the TUS Athlone Green-Campus Committee who have worked together to make real practical changes across the campus, from how we manage waste to how we engage the wider community in sustainability. We’re proud of what has been achieved and excited to build on it.”
The Green Campus programme is part of An Taisce’s national Green Flag Initiative, which supports higher education institutions across the country to take practical action on climate, waste, biodiversity and resource use.