| Overall Rating | Platinum |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 86.18 |
| Liaison | Chris Adam |
| Submission Date | Dec. 30, 2024 |
Dawson College
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Chris
Adam Coordinator Sustainability Office |
Student groups
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
Update 2024: The Green Earth Club is a student club with dedicated space that is actively involved in all aspects of sustainability. It helped organize a significant Climate action marches involving 100's of students, is involved with waste reduction campaigns, food justice, clothing swaps and book exchanges.
Students are also advocating against the oil infrastructure bills at the federal level in Canada and indigenous language rights.
Gardens and farms
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
1. Nine biodiversity micro-habitat zones (rooftop pond, decomposition area, meadow, wet meadow, monarch butterfly nursery area, problematic plant display, regenerating zone, Insect resort and Forest Floor)
2. Three Sister's indigenous-themeed garden on the gym roof
3. Rooftop Honeybee area - two hives on a permanent constructed green roof.
4. Self-watering container vegetable gardens on rooftops and vegetable garden on campus grounds
5. Apple, pear and peach trees with an understory of grapes and blackberries are grown on the gym roof.
A small Dawson College vegetable market offers fresh vegetables grown on site once a week and is staffed by student volunteers. Food banks also receive surplus food as does the Dawson Financial Aid office at times. Biodiversity Zones and the peace garden serve as outdoor classrooms used by over 65 classes in 2024.
PEACE Garden:
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/sustainable/blog/ecological-peace-garden/
Butterfly nursery
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/sustainable/blog/monarch-butterfly-nursery/
Rooftop Gardens:
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/sustainable/blog/rooftop-habitat-restoration/
Rooftop Honey Bees:
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/sustainable/blog/rooftop-honey-bees/
Student-run enterprises
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
In 2023, a two week "Dawson Dining" program was initiated by the Dawson Student Union and the Peace Centre.This student-run kitchen served 100's of free vegetarian meals per day to any student that brings in a labelled container for the food . In the fall of 2024, 2200 vegan meals were severed by students for students.
2024 - https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/news/dnews/food-justice-at-dawson/
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/news/dnews-categories/dawsonproud/page/3/
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/news/nowaste/
Sustainable investment and finance
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
The Dawson Foundation supported a student club that reviews and discusses investments and the Dawson student union mission + ESG principles. The Dawson Foundation supports the club financially to invest in sustainable funds and track progress.
https://www.dawsoninvests.ca/
Events
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
Peace Week - 5 days of speakers and workshops for students held every year. Attendance of 5,300 student participants/year in 2020 - 2023.
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/research/peace-week-2022-revolution-metamorphosis/
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/peace-week/peace-week-schedule/
Earth Week - 5 days of workshops, speakers and events for students - attendance is 2000-3000 for the week each year in 2020 - 2023
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Public Life Conference - 5 days of speakers for classes with 6-7 workshops or lectures per day for students (60% sustainability-related themes)
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/news/dnews/humanities-and-public-life-conference-2022-crisis-conflict-and-resolution/
World Federation of Colleges & Polytechnics - International Youth Camp - Sustainability themed week in April 2023.
Cultural arts
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
Indigenous Peoples' Week - indigenous dances, lectures, food, ceremonies and workshops that attracted hundreds of students in 2021-23.
https://www.dawsoncollege.qc.ca/indigenous-students-resources/indigenous-peoples-week-2023/
Wilderness and outdoors programs
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
As part of the credit physical education courses, yes there are many options, but they have not been included.
Sustainability-focused themes
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
In 2023, all students will have had the opportunity to participate in a 100 day Sustainable Happiness Journal (100 days - one question per day) that can be related to the UN Sustainability development goals. SH Journal Clubs will be available yearly to students.
2023-24 - 1000 species in 1000 days initiative for all students.
Sustainable life skills
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
Student Health Services (room 2D.2) is dedicated to general health promotion and education, and to helping students learn new strategies contributing to a healthy lifestyle. Health care services have on-going wellness campaigns where students can volunteer and link their work to their schooling: mental health workshops and themed weeks to address anxiety, stress, depression, suicide prevention, healthy sleep patterns, smoking cessation and healthy eating.
Student volunteering - open to all students where volunteers learn basic gardening skills, how to compost, workshops (e.g. Lavender wands, seed collecting…) and are taken on weekly excursions to further their knowledge.
Student employment opportunities
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Through the Sustainability Office, students have been employed for occasional work to help with projects and summer garden care. The financing comes from the Sustainability Office operational budget and some from third-party funders.
Student workers are involved with landscape projects, biorentention projects, maintaining food gardens & harvesting vegetables, inventory of species, upkeep of bird feeders, upkeep of raised ponds, and general administration in the sustainability office.
Student services hire students during large events to assist in set up, take down and to ensure the events run with sustainable principles.
Athletics department hires students throughout the year for large sporting events and reviews sustainable waste practices and purchasing.
Graduation pledge
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
Optional Fields
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
The information presented here is self-reported. While AASHE staff review portions of all STARS reports and institutions are welcome to seek additional forms of review, the data in STARS reports are not verified by AASHE. If you believe any of this information is erroneous or inconsistent with credit criteria, please review the process for inquiring about the information reported by an institution or simply email your inquiry to stars@aashe.org.