海角社区

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海角社区 is the second greenest campus in Canada according to the 2017 Corporate Knights听.

Campuses were evaluated on initiatives they have undertaken to improve their environmental impact, including green buildings, greenhouse gas emissions, sustainable transportation, purchasing, and waste management.

鈥淲e are lucky to have a talented and engaged community that has pushed for environmental programs at 海角社区 for decades,鈥� says VP Administration and Finance Yves Beauchamp. 鈥淚t is an honour to be recognized for the progress we have made thus far and we feel encouraged to further strengthen our sustainability performance for years to come.鈥�

Following the signing of two major international Declarations on University鈥檚 commitment to sustainability in the early 1990s, 海角社区鈥檚 passed its first听Environmental Policy听in 2001, marking a turning point in institutional commitment to environmental responsibility and environmental literacy.

Since then, the University鈥檚 action on sustainability has blossomed 鈥� passing a Sustainability Policy in 2010 and the Vision 2020 Sustainability Strategy in 2014. 听The result of a two-year consultation process, Vision 2020 set a series of visions and goals across five categories (Research, Education, Connectivity, Operations, and Governance & Administration) to guide the University鈥檚 actions related to sustainability.

鈥淥ur greatest sustainability accomplishments to date, from greenhouse gas emissions reductions to an increased focus on climate and sustainability in our educational programs, have resulted from the collaboration of our students, faculty, and staff at 海角社区,鈥� noted Sustainability Director Francois Miller.

The announcement of 海角社区鈥檚 green campus ranking comes just as the University is finishing its听Climate & Sustainability Action Plan, a continuation of the Vision 2020 Sustainability Strategy, which will be released later this semester.

Significant sustainability achievements to date:

• 海角社区 is home to the largest fund dedicated to sustainability among North American universities and has funded nearly $6 million to over 170 projects since its creation in 2010.
• 海角社区鈥檚 Life Sciences Complex was the first university-owned laboratory in Quebec to receive LEED Gold certification.
• In 2015-2016, 海角社区 dining halls served more than 20,000 kg of produce, 3,400 kg of beef, and 180,000 eggs from the Macdonald campus farm.
• 海角社区 was named Fair Trade Campus of the Year by Fair Trade Canada in 2017.
• 海角社区鈥檚 Procurement Services won two international awards in 2016 for its Five-year Sustainable Procurement Strategy.
• In 2015-2016, over 200,000 litres of agricultural-grade soil were created and 190 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions were reduced due to the recycling and composting efforts in 海角社区鈥檚 residence dining halls.
• As of 2015, 海角社区 has reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 34 per cent below 1990 levels and has invested more than $19.1 million in energy-saving projects.

Read the听2017 Corporate Knights听