Center for Environmental Initiatives

19/08/2026

🌿"Green Building Awareness Session" for University Staff 🏢💚

The Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI), University of Colombo, is pleased to share highlights from the successful Awareness Session on “Green Building Concepts” conducted on 13 August 2026 as part of our ongoing efforts to promote sustainable practices across University operations and development activities.

We were honoured to have two resource persons from the Urban Development Authority (UDA) of Sri Lanka:

👤 Mr. Umakaran Menalanan
Assistant Director (Landscape), Environment and Landscape Division
👤 Ms. Ruwanara Fernando
Landscape Architect

The session brought together over 30 participants representing various Faculties, Institutes, and administrative branches involved in building-related planning, development, maintenance, and management activities across the University of Colombo.

During this informative session, the resource persons shared valuable insights on:

⚡ Energy Efficiency and sustainable energy practices
🌳 Sustainable Land Management and Planning
🏗️ Sustainable Building Materials and Resources
🌿 Indoor Environmental Quality
💧 Water Efficiency and conservation
💡 Green Innovations and sustainable solutions
🤝 Socio-Cultural Compatibility in green building development

The session highlighted the importance of incorporating sustainability considerations from the early planning and design stages of buildings and provided practical guidance on improving energy and water efficiency, indoor environmental quality, responsible resource use, and overall environmental performance.

Participants also gained valuable knowledge on sustainable building practices and green building rating systems applicable in Sri Lanka, supporting the University's efforts towards greener and more sustainable campus environments. 🌱🏢

🙏 Our sincere thanks to the resource persons for sharing their expertise and valuable insights, and to all participants for their active engagement and commitment towards building a more sustainable University of Colombo.

Together, let’s build a greener future! 🌍💚

05/06/2026

Join the Green Movement!

In commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, we are pleased to announce that the University of Colombo has declared the month of June as the Environment Month 2026.

Throughout the month, a series of exciting environmental initiatives will be conducted across the University's faculties and institutes, including:

🌿 Big Cleaning Days
💬 Awareness Programmes
🌱 Tree Planting Events
🎵 Musical Events

and many more.

These activities aim to create cleaner surroundings, promote sustainable practices, and encourage environmental responsibility within our university community.

The Shramadana Campaign Series, a key event of Environment Month 2026, will commence at College House on 5 June 2026, with the participation of the Vice-Chancellor, staff members, and students.

We warmly invite all members of the University community to take part in these meaningful initiatives. Together, we can contribute towards building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable University of Colombo while fulfilling our shared responsibility to protect the environment for future generations.

📲 Scan the QR code to explore the schedule of Environment Month activities.

Join the Green Movement!
In commemoration of World Environment Day 2026, we are pleased to announce that the University of Colombo has declared the month of June as Environment Month 2026.
Throughout the month, a series of exciting environmental initiatives will be conducted across the University's faculties and institutes, including:
🌿 Big Cleaning Days
💬 Awareness Programmes
🌱 Tree Planting Events
🎵 Musical Events
and many more.
These activities aim to create cleaner surroundings, promote sustainable practices, and encourage environmental responsibility within our university community. The Shramadana Campaign Series, a key event of Environment Month 2026, will commence at College House on 5 June 2026, with the participation of the Vice-Chancellor, staff members, and students.
We warmly invite all members of the University community to take part in these meaningful initiatives. Together, we can contribute towards building a cleaner, greener, and more sustainable University of Colombo while fulfilling our shared responsibility to protect the environment for future generations.
📲 Scan the QR code to explore the schedule of Environment Month activities.

07/05/2026

“The kind of beauty that makes you stop and look twice - a greener campus, a calmer mind, and a brighter future.” 🌿🌍✨

10/12/2025

Dear Everyone,

Imagine walking through a campus where the ground is finally free - no polythene waste, no clogged drains, the air feels fresher, and nature thrives all around us.
Sounds wonderful, doesn’t it?
This big change can begin with one small choice made at lunchtime.
A little magic, born from simple habits 🌿✨.

Here’s how you can lead the change:

🚫 Say goodbye to polythene lunch packets.
🍱 Bring your own reusable lunch box.
🌿 Use reusable bags, bottles, and containers.
✨ Inspire your friends - good habits are contagious!

Why it matters:
Polythene may seem harmless, but its environmental impact is truly alarming:

🌧️ Clogging drains & causing floods - even one plastic bag can block an entire drainage system.
🌊 Polluting rivers & oceans - plastic never disappears; it breaks into microplastics that poison water and aquatic life.
🐢 Harm to wildlife - birds, turtles, and fish often mistake plastic for food, with fatal consequences.
🗓️ Long-lasting damage - some plastics take hundreds of years to decompose.

💚 Your small choice matters - pack your lunch, ditch the polythene, and protect our planet!

From this simple choice, you can support the University of Colombo to remain as a polythene-free zone and at the same time, be a responsible human being who cares for the planet.

We are excited to share our recent Green Talk session with Dr. Inoka Suraweera - a discussion that powerfully reminds us that real change begins with each one of us.

Her message was clear and inspiring: Embrace individual responsibility and weave sustainable habits into your everyday life 🌱✨

🎥 Watch the full conversation here:
https://youtu.be/QHMmVHRos4k?si=SJW7cYpeZBgHhMWX

Thank You.

Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI)
University of Colombo.

On November 20th, 2025, the Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) at the University of Colombo hosted another engaging episode of “Green Talk” via Zoom....

26/11/2025

🌍 Highlights from Our Impactful “Green Talk” Event – November 20th, 2025 🌿💡

We are pleased to share the key moments from the meaningful “Green Talk” session we were privileged to organize from the Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) at the University of Colombo.

We were truly honored to host Dr. Inoka Suraweera, a distinguished Consultant Community Physician specializing in Environmental and Occupational Health at the Ministry of Health, Sri Lanka. Her insightful presentation offered profound perspectives on the critical connection between environmental health and public well-being 🌱❤️

During this insightful session, Dr. Suraweera shared her expertise on:
♻️ The urgent need for improved waste management in Sri Lanka
🧴 Rising plastic consumption and associated health risks
⚠️ The dangers of microplastics and carcinogens released from burning plastic
🌡️ Broader public health challenges driven by climate change, including the rise of vector-borne diseases
🙌 A strong call for individual accountability and adopting sustainable daily practices to reduce plastic waste

🎥 Watch the FULL VIDEO:
https://youtu.be/QHMmVHRos4k?si=SJW7cYpeZBgHhMWX

💬 We encourage you to watch the complete discussion and share your thoughts in the comments!
🙏 Our sincere thanks to Dr. Inoka Suraweera for her invaluable contribution and dedication to public welfare.

24/11/2025

🌊 Each wave that crashes ashore...
screams a truth we can no longer ignore.

⚡Earth is sending warnings...
Not whispers - screams.

💔Let’s be honest - WE did this.
Plastic didn’t fall from the sky.
Every straw, Every bottle, Every piece of plastic we “forgot” to recycle.

🐢 And now innocent lives are paying the price.
💔 How many silent cries will we ignore before we act?

💪 But the story isn’t finished.
It’s written in the hands of those who act, those who care, those who refuse to look away.

🌍 Let’s be the generation that lets the ocean breathe again. 💙

♻️ Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Refuse single-use plastics.
Your small change can make a massive impact 🌍💙

20/11/2025

HAPPENING TODAY!!

🌱 GREEN TALK 2025

Presented by the
Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI)
University of Colombo

🗓 Date: 20th November 2025
🕛 Time: 12.00 p.m. – 1.00 p.m.

💬 Topic:
“Breaking Up with Plastic: A Guide to Healthier Living”
Let’s talk about what plastic really costs us - beyond the environment to uncover their hidden costs to human health and wellbeing.

👩‍⚕️ Guest Speaker:
Dr. Inoka Suraweera
Consultant Community Physician
Environmental and Occupational Health Directorate
Ministry of Health

🌿 Open to All!
Students, staff, and anyone passionate about protecting our planet are warmly invited.
Come, be part of the conversation that matters. 💚

💻 Join via Zoom:
Join Zoom Meeting
https://learn.zoom.us/j/94750196860...
Meeting ID: 947 5019 6860
Passcode: BRP*Jxf5

🌱 GREEN TALK 2025

Presented by the
Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI)
University of Colombo

🗓 Date: 20th November 2025
🕛 Time: 12.00 p.m. – 1.00 p.m.

💬 Topic:
“Breaking Up with Plastic: A Guide to Healthier Living”
Let’s talk about what plastic really costs us - beyond the environment to uncover their hidden costs to human health and wellbeing.

👩‍⚕️ Guest Speaker:
Dr. Inoka Suraweera
Consultant Community Physician
Environmental and Occupational Health Directorate
Ministry of Health

🌿 Open to All!
Students, staff, and anyone passionate about protecting our planet are warmly invited.

Come, be part of the conversation that matters. 💚

💻 Join via Zoom:
🔗 Center for Environmental Initiatives is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://learn.zoom.us/j/94750196860?pwd=1aV1cmKBHrNvOmonIzUX51FjczGwk0.1

Meeting ID: 947 5019 6860
Passcode: BRP*Jxf5

19/11/2025

Happening Tomorrow!!☘️☘️☘️

🌱 GREEN TALK 2025

Presented by the
Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI)
University of Colombo

🗓 Date: 20th November 2025
🕛 Time: 12.00 p.m. – 1.00 p.m.

💬 Topic:
“Breaking Up with Plastic: A Guide to Healthier Living”
Let’s talk about what plastic really costs us - beyond the environment to uncover their hidden costs to human health and wellbeing.

👩‍⚕️ Guest Speaker:
Dr. Inoka Suraweera
Consultant Community Physician
Environmental and Occupational Health Directorate
Ministry of Health

🌿 Open to All!
Students, staff, and anyone passionate about protecting our planet are warmly invited.

Come, be part of the conversation that matters. 💚

💻 Join via Zoom:
🔗 Center for Environmental Initiatives is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://learn.zoom.us/j/94750196860?pwd=1aV1cmKBHrNvOmonIzUX51FjczGwk0.1

Meeting ID: 947 5019 6860
Passcode: BRP*Jxf5

14/11/2025

🌱 GREEN TALK 2025

Presented by the
Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI)
University of Colombo

🗓 Date: 20th November 2025
🕛 Time: 12.00 p.m. – 1.00 p.m.

💬 Topic:
“Breaking Up with Plastic: A Guide to Healthier Living”
Let’s talk about what plastic really costs us - beyond the environment to uncover their hidden costs to human health and wellbeing.

👩‍⚕️ Guest Speaker:
Dr. Inoka Suraweera
Consultant Community Physician
Environmental and Occupational Health Directorate
Ministry of Health

🌿 Open to All!
Students, staff, and anyone passionate about protecting our planet are warmly invited.

Come, be part of the conversation that matters. 💚

💻 Join via Zoom:
🔗 Center for Environmental Initiatives is inviting you to a scheduled Zoom meeting.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://learn.zoom.us/j/94750196860?pwd=1aV1cmKBHrNvOmonIzUX51FjczGwk0.1

Meeting ID: 947 5019 6860
Passcode: BRP*Jxf5

13/11/2025

“A step towards a Greener University! 🌱

The Center for Environmental Initiatives (CEI) at University of Colombo successfully launched its inaugural workshop on Waste Management for non-academic staff on October 31st, 2025. A full day of learning, discussions, and practical strategies to manage waste sustainably and foster an eco-friendly university♻️