Camosun College
PA-1: Sustainability Coordination

In 2012 the Office of Environmental Sustainability was established at Camosun College. It is responsible for: • Increasing understanding, awareness and engagement in sustainability initiatives at the College for both employees and students; • Supporting the work of the ES Council and other sustainability initiatives; • Develop and implement a communications strategy, which includes an annual report, to communicate about achievements and efforts to date. • Facilitating connections across the college to advance sustainability initiatives. • Working collaboratively with other departments and program areas to identify research grants or funding sources to support sustainability initiatives. • Strengthen the rigor of institutional sustainability through the introduction of policies, standards, guidelines and requirements. Some of the more recent achievements the Office of Environmental Sustainability is proud to have accomplished include: • The establishment of the Camosun Express. A free shuttle for staff, faculty and students who commute between both campuses. (http://camosun.ca/about/transportation-parking/camosun-express/index.html) • The installation of Camosun’s first electric vehicle charging station. • The development of Camosun’s first Sustainability Plan in 2014 (http://camosun.ca/sustainability/our-commitment/sustainability-plan.html) • Panel discussion with three sustainability experts entitled "New Teaching Approaches Needed for 21st Century Issues", as part of the annual Walls Optional conference. The three panelists (all Camosun faculty) discussed different ways of approaching the topic of sustainability in education and why it matters.

In late 2010, the college administration put out the call to interested students, staff and faculty, asking them to be part of a cross-campus green group. Thus, the Environmental Sustainability Council was born. It serves as an open forum for the discussion of college-wide environmental initiatives, the goal of which is to improve and extend environmental practices at the college. The council's purpose: The Environmental Sustainability Council provides an open forum for the discussion of college-wide environmental initiatives with a goal of improving and extending current environmental practices. The council's goals Provide a forum for the exchange of ideas regarding the implementation or expansion of College initiatives and innovative approaches to living green. Support initiatives to raise awareness about environmental sustainability issues among the campus community and encourage dialogue and discussion of related matters. Promote the College’s commitment to environmental sustainability to the campus community and the community at large as a means to encourage greater community commitment to issues of environmental sustainability. Identify research and make recommendations on specific initiatives.

The Council is chaired by the Vice President, Administration; who will act as executive sponsor of the initiative and report on the Council’s activities to the College Executive Team. Membership is comprised of administrators, faculty, support staff and students who have expressed an interest in participation through a member selection process. Membership will be reviewed on an annual basis.

Among other things, the Office of Environmental Sustainability is responsible for: •Increasing understanding, awareness and engagement in sustainability initiatives at the College for both employees and students; •Supporting the work of the ES Council and other sustainability initiatives; •Develop and implement a communications strategy, which includes an annual report, to communicate about achievements and efforts to date. •Facilitating connections across the college to advance sustainability initiatives. •Working collaboratively with other departments and program areas to identify research grants or funding sources to support sustainability initiatives. •Strengthen the rigor of institutional sustainability through the introduction of policies, standards, guidelines and requirements. One of the leading initiatives from the Office of Environmental Sustainability was the development of Camosun's first Sustainability Plan (2014.)

The Manager of the Office of Environmental Sustainability is responsible for fostering an institutional culture of sustainability, empowering individuals to take part in the college’s commitment to practicing institutional ecology and positioning Camosun College as a leading educational institution in sustainability.