University of Western Ontario

College Sustainability Report Card 2009

The University of Western Ontario is a signatory to the Talloires Declaration. The retail services department switched to Forest Stewardship Council-certified paper in its graphic services operation. The physical plant is launching a website that offers green tips and identifies green initiatives on campus.

The physical plant has implemented several measures to improve energy efficiency on campus, including appointing a sustainability officer, installing energy-efficient lighting, maintaining machinery and filters to ensure optimal operation, and monitoring consumption for auditing purposes. Housing recently upgraded to compact fluorescent lightbulbs in residence lamps.

Hospitality services has developed a sustainability plan that includes increasing local suppliers up to 40 percent, purchasing regional fruits and vegetables when in season, and featuring an organic option throughout every weekly cycle. The menu plan includes organic meat and produce choices. Dining outlets offer biodegradable to-go containers and the university has comprehensive recycling and composting programs.

The university is undertaking a $20 million project to build a new engineering building that will serve as the first green structure on campus, as well as a research enterprise for environmental sustainability. The facility will be built to LEED Gold standards. The university outlines its commitment to sustainable design through its master plan.

The EnviroWestern student organization has been an extremely important force for sustainable change on campus. The university students' council passed an environmental sustainability policy, acknowledging a responsibility to promote environmental stewardship and to green its operations. The university's Residence Energy Challenge and Save the Blue water-reduction campaign involved students in conservation efforts on campus.

Since 1998, the university has partnered with the local transportation system to provide universal bus passes to full-time undergraduate students. Parking services subscribes to a website that allows staff, students, and faculty to coordinate rides to campus. The master plan states a commitment to displacing vehicular traffic to the perimeter of campus.

The university has no known policy of disclosure of endowment holdings or its shareholder voting record.

The university aims to optimize investment return and has not made any public statements about investigating or investing in renewable energy funds or community development loan funds.

The university has not made any public statements about active ownership or a proxy voting policy.