Overall Rating Silver - expired
Overall Score 48.30
Liaison William Clancey
Submission Date Feb. 9, 2017
Executive Letter Download

STARS v2.0

Durham College
EN-3: Student Life

Status Score Responsible Party
Complete 2.00 / 2.00 Tanya Roberts
Sustainability Coordinator
Facilities Management
"---" indicates that no data was submitted for this field

Does the institution have one or more co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that fall into the following categories?:
Yes or No
Active student groups focused on sustainability Yes
Gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, or urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems Yes
Student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes Yes
Sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills Yes
Conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience Yes
Cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience Yes
Wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles No
Sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences Yes
Programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills Yes
Sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution Yes
Graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions No
Other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives Yes

The name and a brief description of each student group focused on sustainability:

The DC Student Green Team - DC's prime student focused group dedicated to Sustainability and eligible for co-curricular points.
The DC Centre for Food Society - Networking/Leadership Club for DC's CFF students
The DC-UOIT Renewable Energy Development Club - Joint DC/UOIT club focused around renewable energy solutions and networking opportunities
DC - UOIT Engineers W/O borders - dedicated to providing oversees engineering relief


The website URL where information about student groups is available:
A brief description of gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and urban agriculture projects where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems:

The Centre for Food (CFF) is Durham Region’s first-ever post-secondary presence focused on the field-to-fork concept. The CFF, a Green Restaurant Association (GRA)-certified facility, can accommodate approximately 900 students studying in cohesive programs based on the field-to-fork concept, completing the full supply chain cycle from sustainable farming practices to the processing, preparation, serving and celebration of local food.


The website URL where information about the organic agriculture and/or sustainable food systems projects and initiatives is available:
A brief description of student-run enterprises that include sustainability as part of their mission statements or stated purposes:

our Fast Start office and entrepreneurship program host an Enactus chapter at the college


The website URL where information about the student-run enterprise(s) is available:
A brief description of the sustainable investment or finance initiatives:

Durham College has formed various partnerships with local processors and asset recovery companies to ensure all electronic waste and surplus asset items are recycled locally, and in a sustainable way. The Sustainability office, in partnership with the Information Technology Services and Finance departments, has created a program that ensures a small revenue stream is generated back into a sustainability fund for student projects and sustainability initiatives.


The website URL where information about the sustainable investment or finance initiatives is available:
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A brief description of conferences, speaker series, symposia or similar events related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:

In November 2014, former Environmental Commissioner Gord Miller was invited to the campus as a keynote speaker: http://www.durhamcollege.ca/new-notable/college-news/environmental-commissioner-ontario-gives-keynote-address-durham-college

For Earth Week 2015, Chocosol's Founder Michael Sacco gave a presentation to students as well as community members on Cacao and the Spiritual Ecology of Forests at our Centre for Food building: http://www.durhamcollege.ca/evite/20150317-chocosol-workshop-v4.html



The website URL where information about the event(s) is available:
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A brief description of cultural arts events, installations or performances related to sustainability that have students as the intended audience:

Campus market: Hosted in partnership with our campus partner, the University of Ontario Institute of Technology, and Aramark’s Eat Local Initiative. Due to the success of this one-day campus market, we are launching a bi-weekly campus market beginning June 2016, which will also be accessible to the general public: http://www.durhamcollege.ca/new-notable/dc-highlights/campus-market-showcases-fresh-produce-and-tasty-treats

Thrift swap: Durham College hosts a bi-annual thrift swap event in partnership with our campus residences. These events take place at the end of each semester and allow students to drop-off or pick-up any used or end-of-life items for reuse or recycling:https://youtu.be/nPvsOqkGb3s

#MugLife campaign: In 2016, the Green Team hosted a campaign to help spread awareness around the volume of disposable coffee cups to help encourage the use of reusable coffee mugs on campus (student governed). An tree with leaf-shaped pledges was carried around campus to various Tim Horton's locations during campaign: https://twitter.com/livinggreendc/status/711955591309225985

Green Your Life GENED student project - redesign of co-mingle bin https://www.instagram.com/p/-bhzu-RBn_/


The website URL where information about the cultural arts event(s) is available:
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A brief description of wilderness or outdoors programs for students that follow Leave No Trace principles:

N/A


The website URL where information about the wilderness or outdoors program(s) is available:
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A brief description of sustainability-related themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:

DC hosted it's first Hackathon event, which targeted students across departments to come up with solutions that focused on Climate Change and the creation of business solutions.

Sustainability was also a theme for the 2015 DCMC - a dragon's den style of event hosted by one of our Business and Marketing programs. DC's Sustainability Coordinator was one of the judges for this event.

One of our Content Marketing Course Instructors chose the DC Living Green Initiative as the subject matter for her class during the 2016 winter semester: https://youtu.be/kXcNmA9cWx8


The website URL where information about the theme is available:
A brief description of program(s) through which students can learn sustainable life skills:

Durham College hosts an online course taught by one of our Sustainability Committee members titled "Greening your Life". (GNED1521)


The website URL where information about the sustainable life skills program(s) is available:
A brief description of sustainability-focused student employment opportunities:

The DC sustainability office hires work-study students part-time


The website URL where information about the student employment opportuntities is available:
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A brief description of graduation pledges through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions:

N/A


The website URL where information about the graduation pledge program is available:
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A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives:

The Student Green Team is recognized under the Co-Curricular program.


The website URL where information about other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives is available:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
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