The Student Union is now applying the principle of sustainable conference rooms in its daily work

1st April joke

All distance meetings the Student Union (ÅAS) participates in will be powered by green electricity. The electricity will be produced by the Board members, while they are participating in the distance meetings. Every conference room in both ÅAS buildings, Kåren in Åbo and Havtornen in Vasa, have gotten their own exercise bikes connected to a generator. The generator then powers up a laptop, where the meeting can be held.  

After only a week’s usage, ÅAS’ carbon footprint has already been reduced drastically as a result of applying the principle of sustainable conference rooms. An unexpected consequence is that the meetings have become shorter, which has made the Board’s time management more effective. The Board has also improved their health, thereby coping with more advocacy work.  

–Big societal changes are needed to minimize the effects of global warming, but it still feels good to contribute a bit on the way. Exercise and advocacy work are two sides of the same coin, ponders Board Member Emma Andersson.  

While the Board members use exercise bikes, the ÅAS staff prefer the rowing machine to make the Fairtrade coffee. According to Secretary General Veera Julin, the employees are in an even better mood on Monday mornings after getting oxygen flowing in their brains and enjoying the sought-after coffee. 2 

–During the pandemic, I have been working in sportswear anyways. Therefore, I will happily leave office attire for good and invest in well-being through green muscle-electricity, says Students’ Rights Expert Petra Lindblad.