Successful Sustainability Festival at JU

From 27 September to 1 October, the Jönköping University Sustainability Festival was organized.

The program included among other things everyday lunch webinars on sustainability and several physical events.

Contributing to a sustainable future is important for Jönköping University and it is one of JU's five strategies. The purpose of the festival is to network on how to accelerate a transition to a more sustainable future.

“We are happy with how the festival has been conducted and grateful for SSA’s hard work and great communication about the festival. Their dedication brought many students to the various events and made the entire festival more vibrant and inclusive, says Guénola Nonet, chairsperson for JU Sustainability Network, that organises the festival.

During the first days of the festival the Innovation Race was organized. 169 students from Jönköping International Business School (JIBS), Jönköping University, competed during 24 hours to develop new, sustainable solutions for seven companies.

This year, Sustainable Enterprise Development students Malin Dahlström, Hanna Lundgren, Rebecka Markinger and Julia Redgård received first prize for a creative concept for SVERO Lifting AB.

Presented a new concept

The students presented a new concept that looked at shared economy and rental of SVERO’s products. A solution whereby the products can be used to their full potential by multiple customers, instead of standing unused for long periods.

“The 24 hours were challenging yet very fun and educative. It was also great receiving the confirmation from the judges and knowing that our hard work had paid off. We were lucky to get an inspiring and interesting case from SVERO Lifting AB,” says Malin Dahlström.

Some of the events that took place on site were a fruit safari at Rudenstam’s, an urban farming tour on campus and a movie night with vegan pizza on campus.

Students organised a vegan food evening

SSA held several events during the sustainability week and invited, among other things, to a vegan food evening at Kvarteret Ödlan in Jönköping. In addition to cooking together, the impact of the food industry on the climate was discussed.

“Food is a big sustainability issue and we wanted to challenge and inspire people with new vegan food ideas. It was a nice community building event, like we belonged together, says Carlotta Schäfer, President of SSA.

Her tips for eating more sustainably are to cook according to the season, to buy regional ingredients and to choose a plant-based diet. The completely vegan menu for the evening consisted of a asian wok, a Hungarian dip with bread and chocolate balls.

Recycling in a new way

SSA also held the city quest event at the School of Education and Communication (HLK), where the participants had to solve various tasks, such as matching the correct flag with different gender identities and sexual orientations. At another station, old things would be recycled in a new way. One team made a birdhouse out of a can of crisps and another team made a watering can out of a ketchup bottle.

The sustainability week ended on the evening of 1 October with dance and music at Kvarteret Ödlan with a DJ via livestream.

Read more about JU Sustainability Network here External link, opens in new window.

Read more about SSA here Opens in new window.