What can you do at University :
In 2024, students in Leeds donated over 14,000 bags of items to the British Heart Foundation. This saved 116 tonnes of clothes and books from the bin—that is as heavy as 20 adult elephants!
Transport Tips:
Beryl Bikes
Use electric power to zoom up Leeds’ hills! Students get 25% OFF by using their university email and code STUDENT25.
LUU Night Bus & Safe Ride:
Don't walk home alone or pay for an expensive cab! Use the LUU’s Night bus, FREE for University of Leeds students. Catch it from the LUU foyer.
If it’s not running, use the Veezu Safe Ride scheme—just show your student ID and pay the Union back later.
Leeds City Bus:
Ride one of Leeds' 90 new electric buses that don't breathe out dirty fumes. Student Single fares are just £2; just use the First Bus App or tap your card or phone when you get on.
Trains:
One train takes 500 cars off the road! Use an MCard or 16-25 Railcard to get up to 44% off fares. Use the MCard Mobile App for unlimited bus and train travel across West Yorkshire. Leeds Trinity Students can also catch the free shuttle bus from Horsforth station!
Park & Ride:
Commuting from home or far for university? Use FREE parking at Stourton or Elland Road Park and Ride, bus fares start at £2.50 for students!
Respect the Moor!
We all love relaxing in Woodhouse Moor (Hyde Park) during the summer; therefore, protecting our green spaces is crucial.
Take your rubbish home with you and do not use barbecues in the Leeds parks.
Barter it, Bank it, Bin it: The Student Move-Out
Every summer, thousands of students move house at the same time, which can create a lot of extra rubbish. To help keep our streets clean, we run the Moving Out Campaign to help you clear out your room without harming the planet.
Swap and Sell Shops Instead of throwing away things you don't need, we set up "swap and sell" shops at the Leeds University Union, Left Bank, and Cardigan Road Community Centre. You can find new homes for your unwanted items and maybe pick up something new for your next flat!
Helping the Community This campaign is all about looking after your neighborhood. By redistributing your items instead of dumping them, you are helping other students save money, keeping the local streets tidy, and making sure nothing useful goes to waste.
Use the map to find your nearest Reuse Bank Locations!
What is Your Council doing?
The Leeds Green Exchange
What is it? The Leeds Green Exchange is a project that connects students with the local community. It helps students take what they learn in class and use it to help businesses and residents in Leeds become more eco-friendly.
Making an Impact Students working with the Green Exchange do more than just study; they get involved in hands-on projects across the city:
Green Spaces: Students have helped create new "community gardens" on unused land in areas like Hyde Park. This gives local people a place to grow their own food and enjoy nature.
Saving Energy: Students use their knowledge to help local community centers and small shops find ways to save electricity and stay warm in the winter without wasting energy.
Refill and Reuse: The Exchange supports shops where you can bring your own jars to buy food like pasta or rice, so no plastic packaging is ever needed!
Why it’s a Win:
Teamwork: It brings together students, the Council, and local residents to solve big problems like climate change and waste.
Employability: Students who take part gain "real-world" skills that help them get green jobs in the future, like becoming environmental scientists or city planners.
Stronger Communities: By working together on green projects, students and residents get to know each other better, making our city a friendlier place to live.
The Leeds Living Lab
The Leeds Living Lab is a collaboration run by the University Sustainability Service. It turns the university and the city into a "testbed" where students and staff work together to research and test real-world sustainable solutions.
How it Works Students get the opportunity to collaborate on projects that tackle big environmental challenges. Leeds City Council then plays a key role by taking the evidence and solutions found in the lab and applying them to the wider city, such as in climate planning and improving air quality.
The Benefit This gives students hands-on experience in solving real sustainability issues. It’s a great way to build professional networks and gain the skills needed for future careers, all while helping to influence environmental action across the whole of Leeds.
