{"id":90873,"date":"2018-10-17T16:33:48","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T14:33:48","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/?p=90873"},"modified":"2026-01-20T10:00:39","modified_gmt":"2026-01-20T09:00:39","slug":"new-sustainability-hub-to-accommodate-sustainable-student-initiatives","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.erasmusmagazine.nl\/en\/2018\/10\/17\/new-sustainability-hub-to-accommodate-sustainable-student-initiatives\/","title":{"rendered":"New Sustainability Hub to accommodate sustainable student initiatives"},"content":{"rendered":"

Alderman Arno Bonte opened the new Erasmus Sustainability Hub on Tuesday afternoon, World Food Day. Along with the organisers and external partners, more than fifty students attended. Located on the ground floor of the Mandeville building, this new site aims to provide a focal point for students\u2019 sustainability initiatives.<\/p>\n

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f.l.t.r. Pinar Coskun (Erasmus Food Lab), Esmee Tanis (Erasmus Sustainability Hub), Louise van Koppen (Erasmus Involved) and Jon de Ruijter (director Erasmus Sustainability Hub)<\/span><\/p>

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On a long table in front of the entrance to Mandeville were cups of smoothies with fruit garnish. An opening ribbon of small branches hung in front of the new Hub. Once the audience gathered around the entrance, Rotterdam\u2019s Alderman for Sustainability and Energy Transition Arno Bonte had the honour of cutting the \u2018branch ribbon\u2019. Everyone clapped, and the new sustainability centre was officially in business.<\/p>\n

The new Hub will host the Erasmus Food Lab<\/a> and the Erasmus Involved<\/a> initiatives such as Post Plastic Generation<\/a>, Edible EUR<\/a> and EURWardrobe<\/a>. \u201cBut everyone is welcome,\u201d emphasises Louise van Koppen, chairperson of Erasmus Involved. \u201cYou don\u2019t even have to become a member of the organisations. What is important is that you want to commit to sustainability.\u201d Students can engage in research, sustainable food projects and awareness campaigns on sustainability themes.<\/p>\n

In the middle of campus<\/h2>

Pinar Coskun, Project Manager of the Erasmus Food Lab, was probably one of the happiest people present. She was the one who knocked on the door of the then-rector Huib Pols three years ago, convincing him that the university really couldn\u2019t do without sustainability projects. \u201cAnd now we\u2019re literally in the middle of the campus,\u201d she says enthusiastically.<\/p>\n

Max D\u00f6rr of Post Plastic Generation shares that enthusiasm. \u201cThe location will make us more visible to everyone,\u201d he says. \u201cThat way I hope we can reach many more people, and bring about positive change.\u201d<\/p>\n

What D\u00f6rr means by \u2018positive change\u2019 is a plastic-free campus, among other things. \u201cFor example, I see that the Food Plaza still uses plastic packaging and cutlery, or that Spar sells coffee in disposable cups. I hope that together we can find better alternatives in the future.\u201d<\/p>\n

Collaboration with the university<\/h2>

Van Koppen really likes the fact that the student initiatives will work alongside external partners, such as the municipality, the business community and social organisations. \u201cBut it would be even better if we could build up structural cooperation with the university itself,\u201d she continues. \u201cYou see lots of good sustainability initiatives on campus here, but they come mainly from students.\u201d<\/p>\n

D\u00f6rr adds: \u201cThe university always exhorts us to be green, but there\u2019s no specific explanation as to how.\u201d<\/p>\n

Yet the two are also aware that they bear partial responsibility for contributing to change. \u201cThat\u2019s why we plan to meet with the university board two or three times a year,\u201d says Van Koppen. \u201cIf we students come up with a concrete plan, the university really should listen to us.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\t

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De redactie<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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