SIB, Sustainability Initiatives at D-BSSE
The “Sustainability Initiatives @D-BSSE” (SIB), was founded in 2021 to advocate for more sustainability at the D-BSSE. We are committed to rethinking and reducing the negative environmental impact within and around our biotechnological research ecosystem. To this end, we initiate fun events that promote sustainability and make us reevaluate our life- and working styles for a better planet.
The SIB is currently focusing on the following four different areas:
Events
By organizing and promoting events, we offer D-BSSE members the chance to get valuable information on current topics related to sustainability. Events include talks, workshops, film screenings, and more. SIB events will be communicated by email and social media. If you are also interested in other events in Basel, follow us on social media where we share more events.
Greener Research
Scientists are no exception when it comes to producing a lot of waste. But what can we do to reduce our environmental footprint while keeping our science on a high-quality level? You can find our take on this issue in the “Project” tab.
Development
Not only our lifestyle but also our working style has to change. Therefore, we strive to change our department to become a more sustainable place in close collaboration with the CO2 AG, a working group led by Prof. Panke which aims to investigate and reduce the D-BSSE carbon footprint.
Did something unsustainable catch your attention? Let us know and we will try our best to change it for the better.
Communication
Our unique location here in Basel provides us with a great opportunity to connect ETH with other institutions. By staying connected with like-minded people, we strengthen our collaborations and ultimately our impact on the environment.
See what the external pageNachhaltigkeit AG (Sustainability Working Group) at Uni Basel is up to or our fellow colleagues of the Student Sustainability Commission (SSC) of ETH Zurich.
Upcoming events:
Fermentation Workshop #2
Fermentation preserves food, makes it tastier and possibly even healthier - also, it is easier to do at home than you think! In this workshop, we will make fermented vegetables, tempeh, and water kefir. Collect your empty glass jars and get ready to take home some tasty foods and new skills! The next Fermentation Workshop will be part of the Sustainability Week Basel and take place on 23 March 2023. Sign up sheets will be send by e-mail!
Movie Night #3
The next movie screening will be part of the Sustainability Week Basel and take place in March 2023. Check back later for more infos!
Past events:
Movie Night #2
It's movie night again! Join us for our second edition of the 'positive outlook' series and see how less is more. Maybe this is exactly the food for thought you need for the upcoming holiday season ;)
Snacks and drinks on a collection basis (collection goes to external pagepubliceye.ch)
When: 16.11. at 18:30h | Where: Verso (Uni Basel)
Sustainable Approaches to Women's Health
Did you know that women's health is part of the United Nations external pageSustainable Development Goals? Join our panel discussion with Prof. Margherita Turco (external pageFMI), Dr. Cinzia Donato (external pageScailyte) and Oriana Kraft (external pageFemTech) to learn how you can support and improve women’s health through sustainable approaches. EVERYONE is welcome!
When: 15.11. at 18:00h | Where: Biozentrum U1.101
Fermentation Workshop
Learn how simple it can be to ferment food and make your own Kimchi and Tempeh. You don't need any previous knowledge as this workshop will teach you everything you need to know. Be sure to join us on the 18.10. at 17:30h in the Science Lounge. Please bring some clean jars for your fermented delicacies.
Movie Night - Kiss the Ground
The first movie screening from our 'positive outlook' movie screening series will take place on 28.09. and feature “Kiss the Ground”. This powerful film explores how regenerative agriculture can be used to help restore nature. The Science Lounge will be ready for you from 18:00 onwards to mingle with others. The screening starts at 18:30 and will be closed with a short discussion (15-20 min).
Meet SIB
We are celebrating one year of great achievements, a growing community and fun times. You are curious about what we do? Join us on 7.9. at 17:30h in the Science Lounge to learn more about us and maybe we can welcome YOU as a new SIB member soon! To spice things up, you will have the chance to win a voucher for the 'Unverpackt' store in Basel!
Veggie BBQ & Home-Brewed Beer
What's better than to celebrate summer with a BBQ? Join us and VMB for our joint veggie BBQ and experience first-hand how delicious meatless can be. Additionally, we treat you with some home-brewed beer. Please bring your own cuttlery, cup and plate.
When & where: 05.08.2022 at 17:30h, St. Johanns Park
Freezer Challenge Closing Event
Vegan ice cream form Gelateria di Berna, a cool way to end the 2022 International Freezer Challenge, get the D-BSSE members together and create space for exchange. We hope you learned some useful tips & tricks along the way! For more infos see freezerchallenge.org
When & where: 13.07.2022 at 12:45h, Science Lounge
Museums Tour - "Earth at its Limits" Exhibition
What is our role in nature? What are the longterm consequences of our actions? How can we shape the future? Have your questions answered by joining us for a free guided tour (in English) at the external page"Earth at its Limits" Exhibition on Sunday, 24.04.2022 at 15:30h. The costs for the entrance and tour are covered by SIB.
Sustainability Week Basel
The Sustainability Week took place from 21st until 25th of March 2022. As a local offshoot of the Sustainability Week Switzerland, we had plenty of interesting events covering a wide range of topics planned for everybody. More information including the full program can be found on the external pagemain organizers website. SIB is a proud partner and was involved in the organization of many events.
Pub Quiz
Do you want to learn more about your impact on our environment and how to live a more sustainable life? Or do you already know everything and want to use your knowledge to brag in front of your friends and colleagues?
konsumGLOBAL
This guided tour through the city of Basel was led by konsumGLOBAL. We explored sustainable stores and learned about the process of jeans production and the impact of imported food on the environment.
Print media survey
Print media are the traditional way of communicating information to people. But in the era of technology, the SIB is advocating for a more conscious distribution of media to its recipients. You can find the survey results Downloadhere (PDF, 533 KB).
P.S. Did you know that you can change your delivery/subscription of personally addressed ETH-related magazines (e.g. Treffpunkt Science City, Globe Magazine etc.)? Go to www.bi.id.ethz.ch/eAdressen and adjust your subscription in the tab “Versendungen/Deliveries”.
The "Instead of" challenge
Are you aware of the great amount of energy and consumables we use to power our research every day? Most of it is necessary, but not all. This is why we've created the “Instead Of” Challenge! It aims to spread good practices in reducing waste while maintaining productivity in our daily activities and to share these ideas with our peers. The more people join, the greater the impact! Find all the details Downloadhere (PDF, 180 KB).
Green Roofing
Usually hidden and ignored yet, important spaces for a balanced city ecosystem are the roofs of big buildings. An extensively greened roof can contribute to a healthier city climate. Thus, we are working in collaboration with the University of Basel’s “Verein Dachbegrünung Region Basel” (Society for Green Roofing in Basel) and Dr. Dominik Brem from ETH to increase the efforts to extensively green the roof of the new D-BSSE building.
Find useful resources to change your habits and boost your knowledge!
external pageNetflix and Think - SIB's documentary collection
external pageSustainability Map Basel (credits: AG Nachhaltigkeit, University of Basel)
ETH Sustainability Office
ETH Sustainability Course Catalog
external pageInfos about the Sustainable Development Goals
Slides from SIB's Digital Campus presentations (22.02.2022):
- DownloadNina's Sustainability in Education at D-BSSE (PDF, 2.3 MB) (including the results of the live poll)
- DownloadMargarita's Sustainable day-to-day computing (PDF, 2.6 MB) (with useful practical tips)
Slides from Loïc Lannelongue's talk (21.10.2022)
Also check out our partners' websites to find even more resources:
Student Sustainability Commission (SSC) - ETH Zurich
external pageAG Nachhaltigkeit - University of Basel
You are always welcome to suggest more useful platforms to share with your colleagues. Contact us via and we will have a look at it.
Xenia Ficht
Since 08/2022
Nina Blaimschein
Since 08/2021
Simona Baghai
Since 08/2021
Philip Wolfgang Müller-Thümen
Since 10/2021
Nico Borgsmüller
Since 11/2021
Liz Danny Armas Egas
Since 08/2022
Bijing Xiong
Since 02/2023
Previous members
Upnishad Sharma
August 2021 - December 2022
Shani Chen Kornhaeuser
October 2021 - December 2022
Connecting SIB with Biozentrum (University of Basel)
Judith Jaekel
September 2021 - December 2022
Marina Nikolova
September 2021 - November 2022
Fátima Sanchís Calleja
August 2021 - November 2022
Chloé Magnan
August 2021 - April 2022
Margarita Pertseva
November 2021 - March 2022
Akanksha Jain
August 2021 - February 2022