From Monday 24 – Friday 28 March, Varndean College celebrated Green Week 2025. This year, the theme was the ‘circular economy’, and students were encouraged through tutorial to consider what this means and what steps they can take towards it.
The week started with a fantastic talk from Claire Potter, Senior Lecturer in Product Design at the University of Sussex, and author of ‘Welcome to the Circular Economy, the next step in sustainable living’. Students found out more about the difference between the circular and linear economy, and were inspired by examples of innovative circular designs by Claire and her Product Design students.
Other fascinating talks during the week included a Zoom lecture by Amy Twigger Holroyd, Associate Professor of Fashion and Sustainability at the Nottingham School of Art and Design. Amy explained the research she has done into ‘fashion fictions’, inspired by her concerns about fast fashion. On Wednesday we were joined by Matt Traini-Cobb, Parliamentary Advisor to local Green MP Sian Berry. Matt answered student questions and helped them to understand how different careers can help make a difference to the planet. On Friday, Politics Society was joined by local Green Councillors, Kerry Pickett and Steve Davies, who explained their roles and plans to make Brighton a more sustainable city, with students asking challenging and insightful questions.
A real highlight of the week was the planting of the Varndean Orchard! What better way to promote the circular economy than growing our own fruit? The college was donated 10 apple trees as part of Thatchers Community Orchard Project, which, as part of its 2025 apple tree planting season, is helping community groups, schools and charities across the UK plant more trees this spring. The trees that have been planted include a selection of apple varieties, including both eating apples and cider apples.
Throughout Green Week, the fantastic student volunteers from the Climate and Environment Action Group ran the Big Clothes Swap, encouraging students to support second hand clothes by donating unwanted clothes and then ‘shopping’ for free. The event was hugely successful thanks to the hard work from the student group, who have made a real start on bringing about the circular economy!
