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With the publication of the College Sustainability Report Card 2010, more than 1,100 school survey responses from over 300 institutions are now available online. In total, these surveys offer more than 10,000 pages of data collected from colleges and universities during the summer of 2009. To access surveys from other schools, go to the surveys section of the website. To see grades, or to access additional surveys submitted by this school, please click the "Back to Report Card" link at the beginning or end of the survey.
Name: Shannon Leblanc
Position (in student organization): Communications Director
Date survey submitted: June 9, 2009
STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Campus Sustainability Coalition
Number of active members: 38
Website: in progress; information available on the APIRG website at www.apirg.org
Date of last meeting: May 14, 2009
Frequency of meetings: Monthly Board meetings; General meetings every two months.
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: Sustainability Awareness Week 2008 (October, 2008), Paper Cut Project (2008-2009)
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008: Sustainability Awareness Week happened and was a huge success, and planning for SAW 2009 has already begun. The Paper Cut project is completed and the final report is being written, along with three scientific articles to be submitted to peer-reviewed journals.
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
#2 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[X] No
[ ] Yes. Please describe:
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school: We are currently in the process of establishing a University-wide Deliberative Democracy on Climate Change process in partnership with the U of A Office of Sustainability as well as the Faculty of Arts. The project will bring together individuals from all sectors of the University community, staff, students, faculty and senior administrators to deliberate and create action plans implementable at individual, administrative unit and the University level.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible: Environmental Coordination Office of Students (ECOS: www.ecos.su.ualberta.ca); EcoHouse (www.uofaweb.ualberta.ca/ecohouse); Earth Vibe. Campus Vert, Campus Saint Jean.
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition): Alberta Public Research Interest Group
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Name: Louise Veillard
Position (in student organization): Director of ECOS
Date survey submitted:
STUDENT ORGANIZATION
1) Please describe the student-run campus environmental/sustainability organization in which you have a leadership role.
Name of organization: Environmental Coordination Office of Students (ECOS), a service of the University of Alberta Students' Union
Number of active members: over 120 volunteers including 4 Project Managers, a Director, 2 Associate Directors, a Bike Mechanic & a Campus Community Garden Coordinator
Website: http://www.su.ualberta.ca/services_and_businesses/services/ecos
Date of last meeting: March 24, 2009 with all volunteers, however staff meetings occur weekly.
Frequency of meetings: Monthly, during the Academic term
Key issues addressed and programs implemented since August 2008: ECOS maintains a vision that it is possible to create a world characterized by ecological integrity and environmental accountability. Specifically, ECOS creates programming in order to educate our student body and encourage them to become environmentally aware, a critical goal seeing as many of them will play an integral role as future leaders of our society. We provide tangible services to support students in reducing their footprint.
ECOS' projects for the 2008/09 year included:
-plate rentals for student group meetings/events to reduce disposable dish waste
-an e-waste recycling program for cell phones, batteries and ink jet cartridges
-an environmentally themed resource library with free rentals to students,
-interactive educational presentations including presentations to residences and for student groups/associations on how to green their actions
-monthly meetings on different topics/issues of sustainability
-monthly bike rentals,
-an organic campus community garden,
-a native Albertan plant species landscaping site
-a peregrine falcon webcam.
Progress made on each issue/program since August 2008:
- Over 3000 plates loaned,
-250lbs of batteries, 385 ink cartridges & over 150 cell phones recycled
-over 300 sustainability-themed resources available in our library
-educational presentations reaching over 600 students
-65 bikes rented
-over 90 plant species planted in the community garden and naturalization sites
(more stats available on request)
SUSTAINABILITY CHALLENGES AND COMPETITIONS
2) Does your group organize any sustainability challenges/competitions for your campus and/or with other colleges?
[ X] No
[ ] Yes.
Please list details for each competition.
#1 - Name of competition:
Year initiated
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
#2 - Name of competition:
Year initiated:
Frequency of competition:
Participants:
Incentives:
Goal of competition:
Percent of energy/water/waste reduced:
Lasting effects of competition:
Website:
SUSTAINABILITY IN STUDENT GOVERNMENT
3) Does your student government include a specific position or committee dedicated to campus sustainability issues?
[ ] No
[ X ] Yes.
Please describe:
The Environmental Coordination Office of Students (ECOS) is a service of our University of Alberta Students’ Union and acts as the environmental office of the SU. ECOS researches and recommends environmental and social policies to the Students' Union Executive, which strive to make the Students' Union a model of sustainability. ECOS, while providing tangible services for students to make sustainable choices, also acts as a sustainability advisor to the SU. ECOS is a unique organization, the only one of its kind in North America. To have a Service based environmental group so central to the Students’ Union is something to be proud of. This helps ensure that sustainability is practiced and preached by our organization.
OTHER ACTIVITIES
4) Please describe any additional campus sustainability activities or projects that you or your group has initiated at your school:
ECOS performs a waste audit in the Students’ Union Building during ECOS Awareness Week which acts to raise awareness about waste production, disposal and reduction.
ECOS also hosted the Prairies Chapter Sierra Youth Coalition Annual Conference at the University of Alberta, bringing like-minded students from different campuses across the prairies together for discussion, learning and fun.
5) Please list and briefly describe any other student-run organizations related to campus sustainability at your school, and provide URLs if available (e.g., student groups; student government committees; student-run food co-ops, gardens/farms, bike co-ops) and provide contact information of the student leaders, if possible: Please feel free to take info from ECOS Website where groups on campus are listed: http://www.su.ualberta.ca/services_and_businesses/services/ecos/resources/othergroups
Questions 6 is for informational purposes only; your response will NOT be included in the Report Card evaluation process.
6) Please list any regional or national networks with which your group is affiliated (e.g., Energy Action Coalition/Campus Climate Challenge, Sierra Student Coalition, a state PIRG, a state student sustainability coalition): ECOS works with the Sierra Youth Coalition, APIRG, the Alberta Environmental Network, Alberta Fish and Wildlife, Canadian Wildlife Service.
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