Student sustainability initiatives at TU Ilmenau: review and outlook

In 2024, the Sustainability Working Group at Technische Universität Ilmenau has initiated several activities to foster environmental awareness and sustainable practices within our university community. From encouraging conscious fashion consumption and enhancing biodiversity on campus to organizing events and radio shows to raise awareness of sustainability.

The Sustainability Working Group, established in 2023, consists of dedicated students and staff engaging in various sustainability activities on campus. This year, the group circulated more than 1,200 second-hand clothes through their Second Hand Fashion Corner, set up in the foyer of the campus cafeteria. Each semester, they organized a collectiong point, where university members could give their no-longer-used clothes, bags, and shoes. These items were made available for free almost daily during lunch and coffee breaks. Thanks to the efforts of dedicated student volunteers, the Second Hand Fashion Corner has become a hub for promoting circular fashion on campus.

“We are proud since we could contribute to a real action to help reduce the environmental footprint of our fashion consumption,” said Laura Rocha Barrera, a master’s student in Media and Communication Science. Florencia Jessy, a bachelor’s student who joined the group this semester, shared, “I’ve learned a lot from my volunteering activities. Before joining, I never realized how problematic fast fashion was. Now I know we can look cool with second-hand fashion while reducing textile waste.”

Beyond tackling textile waste, the group also planted over 5,000 spring bulb seeds in the university meadow during Sustainability Days this semester. “With this action, we aim to increase biodiversity on campus,” said Romana Rauch, who initiated the project. Early bloomers are essential as they provide a critical food source for bees and other pollinators in early spring.

As in the previous year, the group organized two successful “TU Ilmenau Sustainability Days” events. These events featured various interactive activities, providing opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to engage with sustainability-related topics. Additionally, the group produced a radio show on sustainability topics with HSF student radio in both German and English, further spreading awareness within and beyond the campus community.

Looking ahead, the group is planning several initiatives for the coming year and hopes that there will be more students and university staff supporting their projects.

Further information is available at nachhaltigkeit@stura.tu-ilmenau.de or via the Instagram account @tu.ilmenau.sustainability.days