Seed Funded Projects - Cambridge Institute of Sustainability Leadership

Dr Polina Yaseneva, 2023

Unlocking access to nanocellulose-based functional materials

Crystalline nanocellulose (CNC) is a highly promising class of bio-materials that can replace traditional fossil-based materials supporting mitigation of Climate Change and Plastic Pollution. Its unique functional properties make it suitable for a broad range of applications, including packaging, energy, medicine, optics, etc. However, a lack of transparent technical and environmental information on CNC manufacturing hinders innovation and creates a barrier for its wide adoption.

In this project we establish a benchmark life cycle assessment (LCA) study of a conceptual large-scale CNC manufacturing process based on sulfuric acid hydrolysis. We then use the benchmark process model to explore several plant configuration scenarios (with and without acid recycling) and sensitivity of optimal plant configurations to energy mix of different regions. Results of LCA study suggest that for renewables-dominated regions with abundant low-carbon energy sources plant configuration without acid recycling is marginally environmentally better than full recycling scenario. However, in fossil-dominated regions full recycling scenario generates significant environmental impacts. This study provides benchmark figures of LCA impacts of CNC manufacture, which could be used for the assessment of carbon footprint and other environmental metrics of final products manufactured from CNCs.

Dr Caroline Lee, 2022

This is the final report of a scoping research project, carried out between April and September 2022, to find out the potential of leveraging the role of supermarkets in providing sustainable support to older adults.

Focus and activities

Our intervention focus was supermarkets in that they can be seen as embedded in communities with a form of ‘anchoring’ position, and our older adults our population of interest, as a group at particular risk of poor health and wellbeing. The study looked at these issues from the perspective of people who work and interact with older people when shopping for groceries. These include supermarket ‘community colleagues’ (often named ‘community champions’) and professionals of voluntary and community groups that work with older people. We employed site visits, interviews and surveys to find out from those working in and with supermarkets about their roles, experiences and ideas. We build on a small but rich academic literature which has sought to understand the food and shopping practices of older people.

Insights and conclusions

A range of supermarket community actions potentially supportive to older people were identified, including: grants; fundraising; donating goods; supporting foodbanks, and volunteering at local groups for older people. Less common actions include social groups running in store, though the perceived need for these was high. The work provided some useful insights around supermarkets being safe, social spaces, where older people can get the groceries they need, plus other things of value to their health and wellbeing. Yet there is more to learn around how the supermarket as a community space could be exploited to better support (in particular vulnerable) older adults.

This scoping study has informed a collaborative grant application (with partners at Hertfordshire and Teesside Universities) to the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC), submitted October 2022 entitled: Food secUrity in Later Life (FULL): investigating foodscapes for older people and building food system resilience.

Dr Anna Barford, 2022

COP26 report on Climate Change and Youth Livelihoods

Seed funding from the School of Technology enabled the writing, design, and printing of a public facing report: Living in the climate crisis: young people in Uganda. The grant extended the activities and impact of the Peak Youth, Climate Change and the Role of Young People in Seizing their Future research project. The seed funding paid for: (1) Research Assistant Rose Olwell to support the report writing; (2) Georgia King Design to design the report; and (3) Langham Press to print.

The Living in the climate crisis report has been disseminated widely since its launch at COP26, in November 2021. It has been shared with young people and politicians in Kampala, Jinja and Moroto (Uganda), was presented at the Rewired Summit in Dubai, and at Cambridge Zero and British Academy events. This work has also appeared in blogs and newspaper articles.

The Living in the climate crisis report positioned the research team’s expertise on this topic on the global and Uganda stage, supporting the development of new grant applications, large and small. We extend a big thank you to the School of Technology for your support.

The report: Barford, A., Olwell, R. H., Mugeere, A., Nyiraneza, M., Magimbi, P., Mankhwazi, C., & Isiko, B. (2021). Living in the climate crisis: young people in Uganda. University of Cambridge. https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.75235

Research project webpage: https://www.cisl.cam.ac.uk/centres/centre-for-policy-and-industrialtransformation/peak-youth-climate-change