Enactus Durham College continued their tradition of success at the Central Regional Exposition last month. The Second Sole project team was named the Canadian Tire Environmental Sustainability Central Regional Champions, earning the right to represent Durham College (DC) on the national stage at the Enactus Canada National Exposition in Calgary this May.
At the competitive yet friendly competition, DC students highlighted their ingenuity and commitment to creating a more sustainable future and showcased their innovation, dedication, and leadership.
"This win is a huge step forward for sustainability at Durham College, and we're excited to take our project to Nationals," said project founder and Environmental Technology student Jonathan Grant.
Second Sole addresses the waste of single-use gloves by repurposing them into useful products like hockey pucks and shoe soles. The project was founded by (Jonathan) Grant and inspired by DC's Director of Ancillary Services, Amanda Blenkhorn, who had prior experience recycling unique items and recognized the amount of disposable gloves used at the college.
Grant's team included an eclectic group of DC students representing a number of different programs, with support from Faculty advisors and industry partners.
Together, the team has developed a safe sterilization process, worked on a granulator to refine the recycled material and launched glove collection bins to divert thousands of gloves from landfills.
The project aligns with DC's commitment to sustainability while targeting five of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.
"This project is a testament to how students can drive meaningful change through collaboration, creativity, and environmental responsibility," said Grant. "Second Sole is proving that sustainable supply chains are achievable and don't have to come at a high cost to businesses or the environment."
For more information
2000 Simcoe Street North
Oshawa Ontario
Canada L1H 7K4
www.durhamcollege.ca/
