Approved in the board meeting 4/2020
Helix ry – Environmental programme
Goals
Purpose of the Environmental programme is to guide Helix ry’s activity to follow environmental principles approved by association’s members. The goal is to minimize negative environmental impacts of the activity without making the every day life of the association and its functionaries harder. Helix ry also aims to bring forward its members’ environmental principles in the activity of Pupu-klusteri.
The programme focuses mostly in every day environmental acts and it doesn’t aim to be all-embracing. Old operation models found to be good are continued and new ones are introduced. Members’ enthusiasm and interest towards environmental matters is varying, and therefore the program is aiming to find fitting goals to which the association’s functionaries are ready to commit.
Student room in Viikki
Helix ry has a student room in the Biocenter 1 of Viikki campus. Unnecessary production of waste is avoided, the waste is recycled and electricity usage is minimized at the student room. Snack selection at the student room is developed to favour Fair trade and environmentally friendly products.
Waste recycling and minimizing the amount of waste
There are recycling bins for bio waste, cardboard, paper, metal, glass, plastic, mixed waste and cans and bottles at the student room. Users of the student room are guided in recycling with signs and marking the recycle bins. While purchasing furniture, devices or other items for the student room, they are purchased primarily as second-hand products.
Saving energy
Energy is saved by turning off electrical devices for the night. Last person leaving the student room is responsible for turning off devices and lights. There’s a sign next to the door reminding about this. While purchasing new devices, their energy consumption is taken into account.
Dishes
People can drink coffee and tea and buy snacks at the student room. There are cups and other dishes which people can borrow. Near by there are many basins so the dishes are easy to wash. Common principle in the student room and association’s events is avoiding the usage of disposable containers.
Get-togethers
Helix organises many parties and other events for its members. Environmental effects of food are taken into account especially in sitsit and other events with food servings. The food is mainly vegan.
Dishes
While organising events, aim is to avoid using disposable containers. Helix organises its sitsit mainly at the Alina hall of New student building of HYY. At Alina hall the dishes are borrowed or rented from organisations of the New student building to avoid transporting them from far away. For events organised in Viikki the dishes are borrowed or rented from nearer, or they are brought to the location by ourselves.
Other activity
Excursions and other trips
Public transport is favoured while travelling. This is automatically achieved for excursions in the capital area.Environmentally friendly ways of transport, like a train, are favoured also for longer trips. If it is not possible or it’s too difficult to travel with public transport, car pools are used. This way we aim to minimize the amount of private cars used.
Publicity and publications
Publicity of Helix ry is done mostly digitally with email list and website, which saves paper. The only regular publications of the association, Vapaa Radikaali magazine, is published four times a year. The magazine is printed in printing houses with an environmental certificate.
Compensating
The association aims to compensate harms and pollution caused by its activity within the limits of resources.
Environmental impact coordinator
Helix has appointed one or more environmental impact coordinators. They take care that the association acknowledges environmental matters in tis activity, and they also develop and update environmental programme, inform members about environmental matters and possibly organise environmentally themed events.