After successfully wrapping up its fourth annual Campus Sustainability Month in October, Concordia's sustainability efforts continue to draw local, national and international attention.
The month-long festivities saw students, faculty and staff come out in droves to attend more than 30 events on the Sir George Williams and Loyola campuses, as well as online.
Programming highlights included the return of the sustainability fair, a panel highlighting sustainability research across the university's four faculties and just in time for Halloween a sustainable pumpkin carving workshop.
"This year's diverse range of events showcased the multitude of incredible sustainability initiatives at Concordia and fostered a sense of community and collaboration among our students, faculty and staff," says Cassandra Lamontagne, manager for the Office of Sustainability.
Awards galore
Throughout the month, Concordia also earned a number of certifications and awards related to its sustainability work.
Three university initiatives were shortlisted for International Green Gown Awards, which recognize exceptional sustainability projects undertaken by higher-education institutions worldwide.
Concordia's finalists included UNIVER/CITY 2030 in the Benefiting Society category, the Student Sustainability Ambassadors Program in the Next Generation Learning and Skills category and the Concordia University Centre for Creative Reuse in the Student Engagement category.
In partnership with World Wildlife Fund Canada (WWF-Canada), Concordia also obtained the Living Campus certification for its commitment to sustainability, conservation and creating a positive impact on the environment. The university is one of only 10 Canadian institutions to be certified.
"We successfully met the rigorous criteria set by WWF-Canada, demonstrating our dedication to creating a more ecologically responsible and biodiverse campus," says Jackie Martin, urban agriculture and biodiversity coordinator in the Office of Sustainability.
On October 3, a student group in the Faculty of Fine Arts took home the top prize in the Environment category at the Forces AVENIR annual gala in Quebec City. The award honours and promotes student involvement in projects that contribute to developing conscious, responsible, active and persevering citizens.
The Sustainable Studios initiative caught the jury's attention for saving more than 22,000 litres of water and significantly reducing ceramics waste.
Concordia also reached Silver status as a Fair Trade Campus, joining York University, the University of Toronto Mississauga and McGill University as one of only four Canadian campuses to reach this level.
The achievement recognizes the university for its far-reaching commitment to ethical procurement practices, which included expanding the Fair Trade Steering Committee, requiring fair-trade coffee, tea and sugar in all food service contracts and encouraging independent food vendors on campus to switch to fair-trade products.
"We still have many areas we plan to advance on, but these honours highlight the strides we've made toward building a vibrant community dedicated to positive change," Lamontagne says.
More to come
The Office of the Vice-President, Services and Sustainability will host another edition of its public consultation series, We're Listening, on November 6 on Loyola Campus and November 13 on Sir George Williams Campus. It will focus exclusively on Concordia's Sustainability Action Plan.
Participants will receive an overview of the current plan, as well as its development and consultation process. They will also engage in activities that capture their feedback on the development of the current plan and their ideas for planning the next one.
On December 14, the Office of Sustainability is inviting Concordians to participate in the Christmas Bird Count, North America's longest-running citizen science project.
Students, faculty and staff will monitor bird feeders on both the Sir George Williams and Loyola campuses and include their sightings in the Montreal count circle's overall numbers.
"We have many exciting events and initiatives planned," Lamontagne says. "We know that sustainability is an important priority for our university community year-round, so we're eager to provide activities that will continue to engage Concordians in the months ahead."
Learn more about Concordia's Office of Sustainability.
