Ideas and action at the London Student Sustainability Conference

Hi, I’m Christie, earlier this year, I attended the 8^th annual London Student Sustainability Conference (LSSC) at Kingston University. As a student-led event, the Conference offered first-hand insight into sustainability projects and research presented by students from ten London universities. So, want to know how it went? Take a look at my day at the conference!

A wonder through ideas

Once I arrived and registered, I spent time looking around the poster gallery. On show were lots of innovative ideas about how to incorporate the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals across various industries to build a more sustainable world and tackle the climate crisis. Even before the sessions began, I could already feel the passion behind these projects.

You can see all the posters in this digital gallery, including several interesting projects by King’s students:

• BlueLink: Trust You Can See, Impact You Can Trace by King’s student He-Ya (Iris) Lin
• A Breath Stolen: The Story of Delhi’s Air Pollution by Mahima Malpani
• Friends of Mombasa: Plastic to Purpose by Shaina Vaghela
• Raising Climate Justice Awareness and Action at King's College London: Building Solutions for Justice-focused Sustainability Action by Aalia Moore, Samantha Mutavayi, and Diksha Sahu
• The Sustainable Flow by Lito Shen and Ryan Wen
• CRISPR Interference vs Persistence: Preventing Relapsing Salmonella Infections by Daphne Armengol

Driving change for our futures

Keynote speakers opened the conference - reflecting on the purpose of the event and highlighting the importance of students in driving change. They also shared useful tips on career development in sustainability-based sectors, which felt especially relevant for me, as a postgraduate student thinking of future career paths.

A handmade idea for sustainable, affordable menstural options

I first attended King’s students Lito Shen and Ryan Wen’s presentation titled ‘The Sustainable Flow’. Their project aimed to create affordable, reusable menstrual pads using upcycled materials. As many existing reusable products can be expensive, their approach focused on a more affordable alternative, making menstrual products more accessible. You can read about the Sustainable Flow project in the digital poster gallery.

Exploring the human cost of air pollution

Next, I headed to another session where another King’s student, Mahima Malpani, presented her research project, ‘A breath stolen: Human cost of New Delhi’s air pollution’. She spoke passionately about the urgency and severity of Delhi’s air crisis, especially due to stubble burning and vehicle emissions. She shared a range of solutions from community engagement to policy enforcement. You can read about Mahima’s project in the digital poster gallery.

Education and action: the Climate Fresk workshop

Following a vegetarian lunch (no surprises there!) full of conversation with other delegates about what we’d heard and seen so far, my final session of the day was the Climate Fresk taster workshop.

This was an educational activity where participants gathered in groups and explored the fundamental causes and consequences of climate change. We discussed our emotions towards the climate crisis and what actions we can take to promote sustainability. It was a great opportunity to reflect on the reality of the world and build an understanding of this from a more personal perspective.

And that's a wrap!

After a brief closing ceremony, everyone gathered once again for a networking event, sharing thoughts and inspiration from their conference experience. As I left, I felt both informed and inspired. I realised sustainability is not just an ideal concept, but something achievable through initiative and collaboration.

What has my day at the conference inspired you to think about?

Whether it is reducing waste, attending an event, or simply starting a conversation, small steps can make a meaningful difference for our planet. I hope this glimpse into the LSSC encourages you to reflect on your own sustainable choices!