There is more than one way to go green and do your bit to save the environment. In fact, what is old is now considered new and the business of upcycling – that is to reinvent waste by giving it a new purpose as opposed to merely recycling it – has become not only very lucrative, but has also given way to a global green creative movement.

In light of this, the Green Campus Initiative (GCI) of the North-West University’s (NWU’s) campus in Vanderbijlpark launched a Green Art Competition with the theme: Copy nature from waste material.

The competition – which is open to staff and students – aims to raise awareness about upcycling and recycling. This competition explores the creative potential in reusing and recycling household items and furniture and aims to inspire people to see the reuse possibilities of items that may have otherwise have been thrown away. There is no entry fee and participants can take part as individually or as a group. Entry forms are available from the Library in the Learning and Research Commons (Building 13, room 201).

Participants are not limited in terms of the medium they choose to use and according to Nadine Smit, Green Campus Initiative coordinator, art work can take the form of paintings, drawings, sculptures or installations. Prize money worth a R1 000 is up for grabs for the winner of the competition.

The deadline for submission is 22 September 2017 and all the works of art will be exhibited in the Library. The winners will be announced on 19 October. For more information on the competition, or the submission of entries please contact Nadine on 084 053 5137 or Louise on 016 910 3045. Alternatively you can send an email to nwugreencampus@gmail.com or annadinesmit@gmail.com.

More about the Green Campus Initiative

The Green Campus Initiative represents a national undertaking by the Department of Higher Education and Training and was launched in 2012. The aim of the initiative is to afford universities and colleges alike, the opportunity to tackle the environmental issues pertaining to their immediate surroundings. Through this undertaking students will be helping Africa to take a leadership stance on issues such as climate change, carbon emissions and environmental custodianship.

It is furthermore the Department of Higher Education and Training’s aim to help students – via the Green Campus Initiative – with the needed skills to address environmental issues and to allow them to benefit from the economic opportunities that arose from the solutions they help to develop.

The NWU is supporting this initiative by reducing energy consumption at residences, fostering a culture of recycling, encouraging students to use bicycles, busses and lift clubs, as well as by conducting frequent consumption audits.

You can also visit the Green Campus Initiative  Facebook page for more information.