| Overall Rating | Silver |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 53.24 |
| Liaison | Alicia Gowan |
| Submission Date | June 18, 2024 |
Kwantlen Polytechnic University
EN-5: Outreach Campaign
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
4.00 / 4.00 |
Alicia
Gowan Sustainability Specialist Campus and Community Planning |
"---"
indicates that no data was submitted for this field
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at students and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes
Has the institution held a sustainability-related outreach campaign during the previous three years that was directed at employees and yielded measurable, positive results in advancing sustainability?:
Yes
Name of the campaign:
Sustainable Development Goal Week - Sustainability Priorities
A brief description of the campaign:
SDG Week Canada is a national collaboration in March (March 6th-10th, 2023) featuring workshops, panels, and other interactive programming to increase awareness of and engagement with the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on university and college campuses.
As a part of SDG Week, Campus and Community Planning (CCP) led an engagement to understand the campus community's sustainability priorities. CCP created several poster boards that listed many of the recommendations (reworded for context and enhanced accessibility) outlined in KPU's Sustainability Framework, which were communicated during the engagement as sustainability "priorities".
The priorities listed were selected based on their likely relevance to the student body at KPU. For example, in the Sustainability Framework, Under sub-goal Mobility, 5.2.2: Commuting to and between campuses, one of the recommendations is to "Explore opportunities to increase the frequency of the KPU shuttle between campuses". For the outreach activity, the priority was listed as "The KPU Shuttle between campuses is more frequent than present day". This was chosen as being relevant to the student body since a significant number of campus shuttle users are students. Below each priority were the associated SDG's to ensure the campus community could better understand the direct connection between on-the-ground actions (priorities) - occurring or recommended to occur at KPU - with the broader SDG goals.
CCP reached out to the campus community, including both students and employees. Although the priorities were intentionally relevant to students, this did not limit their relevance to other campus community members like faculty, staff, and administration.
CCP set up their poster boards next to the other SDG Tables during the "Celebrate Sustainability" segment of the event. These tables were located at busy campus areas during the lunch-time period. CCP spoke with passerby's, campus members attending the event, as well as the organizers of the event, asking them what they care about by using the priorities as prompt questions. Each individual was given three stickers which they could place under 3 different priorities that resonated most with them.
As a part of SDG Week, Campus and Community Planning (CCP) led an engagement to understand the campus community's sustainability priorities. CCP created several poster boards that listed many of the recommendations (reworded for context and enhanced accessibility) outlined in KPU's Sustainability Framework, which were communicated during the engagement as sustainability "priorities".
The priorities listed were selected based on their likely relevance to the student body at KPU. For example, in the Sustainability Framework, Under sub-goal Mobility, 5.2.2: Commuting to and between campuses, one of the recommendations is to "Explore opportunities to increase the frequency of the KPU shuttle between campuses". For the outreach activity, the priority was listed as "The KPU Shuttle between campuses is more frequent than present day". This was chosen as being relevant to the student body since a significant number of campus shuttle users are students. Below each priority were the associated SDG's to ensure the campus community could better understand the direct connection between on-the-ground actions (priorities) - occurring or recommended to occur at KPU - with the broader SDG goals.
CCP reached out to the campus community, including both students and employees. Although the priorities were intentionally relevant to students, this did not limit their relevance to other campus community members like faculty, staff, and administration.
CCP set up their poster boards next to the other SDG Tables during the "Celebrate Sustainability" segment of the event. These tables were located at busy campus areas during the lunch-time period. CCP spoke with passerby's, campus members attending the event, as well as the organizers of the event, asking them what they care about by using the priorities as prompt questions. Each individual was given three stickers which they could place under 3 different priorities that resonated most with them.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign:
After SDG Week, CCP collected the data listed on the boards from the outreach activities. In total, there were 427 responses with 143 members of the community who directly engaged in the activity. Indirect impact from this activity includes the awareness gained for those who passed by, those who read the boards and spoke to CCP but did not select their top 3 priorities, as well as the trickle-down effect of participants telling others about their experience.
After collecting the data from the activity, it was determined that the top 3 priorities (out of 19) of this sample population were (in order):
1) The purchasing and sale of fresh food, especially those from local food vendors, as well as fair trade products are prioritized in food services across campus (16% of participants voted this as one of their top 3).
2) KPU prioritizes access to nature for the campus community including ensuring all new interior spaces have views to the outside and that existing and future green walls, green roofs, and balconies are protected and preserved (12% of participants voted this as one of their top 3).
3) More opportunities for students and staff to reduce waste, especially single-use waste, on campus (e.g. more water refillz stations, reusable dish sharing program, and reduced need for print-outs) (9% of participants voted this as one of their top 3).
This information has been shared with the SDG working group, Ancillary Services, and within the Campus and Community Planning Department and has been considered by each party when prioritizing actions and future work. This, and the awareness that was spread during the week-long event will enhance sustainability literacy, culture, programming, and operations at KPU.
After collecting the data from the activity, it was determined that the top 3 priorities (out of 19) of this sample population were (in order):
1) The purchasing and sale of fresh food, especially those from local food vendors, as well as fair trade products are prioritized in food services across campus (16% of participants voted this as one of their top 3).
2) KPU prioritizes access to nature for the campus community including ensuring all new interior spaces have views to the outside and that existing and future green walls, green roofs, and balconies are protected and preserved (12% of participants voted this as one of their top 3).
3) More opportunities for students and staff to reduce waste, especially single-use waste, on campus (e.g. more water refillz stations, reusable dish sharing program, and reduced need for print-outs) (9% of participants voted this as one of their top 3).
This information has been shared with the SDG working group, Ancillary Services, and within the Campus and Community Planning Department and has been considered by each party when prioritizing actions and future work. This, and the awareness that was spread during the week-long event will enhance sustainability literacy, culture, programming, and operations at KPU.
Name of the campaign (2nd campaign):
Thrive Month - Environmental Wellness Promotion
A brief description of the campaign (2nd campaign):
The Office of Sustainability (Oos) within the Campus and Community Planning Department (CCP) led six events during the annual "Thrive Month" hosted by the Health Promotion team at KPU in October, 2023. Thrive Month is a series of events, workshops, and activities that focus on supporting positive health and wellbeing for students, staff, and faculty. The health promotion team advocates for six pillars of wellness at KPU including: Emotional, Spiritual, Financial, Physical, Mental, and Social. It was recognized that this month-long event could be a great opportunity to raise awareness around a seventh pillar, "environmental wellness".
The OoS/CCP team defined environmental wellness as a form of wellness that acknowledges that the systems we depend on for our health and wellbeing are dependent on the health and wellbeing of our communities and the planet. In order to raise awareness of this concept/action, the OoS hosted five tabling events and one major transportation-themed event throughout the month of October.
Tabling sessions featured poster boards on how students and employees can take part in environmental wellness at KPU and learn about how CCP is addressing environmental wellness in current and upcoming CCP projects. Students and staff could be entered to win an eco-prize pack by filling out a short survey about how they take part in sustainability at KPU. Light snacks were provided. The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) joined the OoS for several tabling events where they discussed the services they provide that promote environmental wellness such as their grocery delivery discount, the university shuttle bus, and their affordable student region-wide transit pass, called the Multi-Pass.
The sixth event was a larger event hosted at the Main Courtyard of Surrey Campus. This event focused on the environmental wellness benefits of sustainable transportation, called "Ride to Thrive" day. The OoS hosted this event alongside the KSA. This day celebrated the many sustainable ways the KPU community can travel to and from campus that benefit ourselves, our communities, and the planet.
TransLink (Metro Vancouver's transportation network, serving residents and visitors with public transit, major roads, bridges and Trip Planning) and Hub Cycling (regional cycling advocacy non-profit) joined CCP and the KSA as community partners. Hub Cycling promoted their “Go By Bike Week”. The KPU Surrey campus was promoted as a “Celebration Station” stop in Hub Cycling’s own promotional materials for their Go by Bike Week, a region-wide public event. TransLink promoted the new R6 rapid bus line and “bike to transit”.
For "Ride to Thrive", the CCP team engaged the community with a transportation mapping board, where students and staff could map their route to campus and learn about sustainable alternatives to single occupancy vehicles. We also asked about memorable commuting experiences and preferential commuting options to and from campus. There was vegetarian/vegan catering for this event led by the sustainable student cafe called Grassroots. Food was kept as "finger food" to limit the amount of waste produced.
In Partnership with the KSA, the CCP team also hosted a ‘cheer your peer-pong’ game, a play on beer pong (using water) with a sustainability twist! This game required participants to answer KPU-relevant sustainability trivia questions with the goal of filling one’s opponents water reservoir by getting the ball into their (water filled) cups fastest! They only can take a turn when they answer the trivia question correctly. KSA also had a table at the event where they promoted the various transportation-related services they have on campus such as the bike lockers, the Multi-Pass, shuttle bus, etc.
All four parties provided draws for sustainable gift baskets and/or sustainable lifestyle freebies like refillable water bottles.
The OoS/CCP team defined environmental wellness as a form of wellness that acknowledges that the systems we depend on for our health and wellbeing are dependent on the health and wellbeing of our communities and the planet. In order to raise awareness of this concept/action, the OoS hosted five tabling events and one major transportation-themed event throughout the month of October.
Tabling sessions featured poster boards on how students and employees can take part in environmental wellness at KPU and learn about how CCP is addressing environmental wellness in current and upcoming CCP projects. Students and staff could be entered to win an eco-prize pack by filling out a short survey about how they take part in sustainability at KPU. Light snacks were provided. The Kwantlen Student Association (KSA) joined the OoS for several tabling events where they discussed the services they provide that promote environmental wellness such as their grocery delivery discount, the university shuttle bus, and their affordable student region-wide transit pass, called the Multi-Pass.
The sixth event was a larger event hosted at the Main Courtyard of Surrey Campus. This event focused on the environmental wellness benefits of sustainable transportation, called "Ride to Thrive" day. The OoS hosted this event alongside the KSA. This day celebrated the many sustainable ways the KPU community can travel to and from campus that benefit ourselves, our communities, and the planet.
TransLink (Metro Vancouver's transportation network, serving residents and visitors with public transit, major roads, bridges and Trip Planning) and Hub Cycling (regional cycling advocacy non-profit) joined CCP and the KSA as community partners. Hub Cycling promoted their “Go By Bike Week”. The KPU Surrey campus was promoted as a “Celebration Station” stop in Hub Cycling’s own promotional materials for their Go by Bike Week, a region-wide public event. TransLink promoted the new R6 rapid bus line and “bike to transit”.
For "Ride to Thrive", the CCP team engaged the community with a transportation mapping board, where students and staff could map their route to campus and learn about sustainable alternatives to single occupancy vehicles. We also asked about memorable commuting experiences and preferential commuting options to and from campus. There was vegetarian/vegan catering for this event led by the sustainable student cafe called Grassroots. Food was kept as "finger food" to limit the amount of waste produced.
In Partnership with the KSA, the CCP team also hosted a ‘cheer your peer-pong’ game, a play on beer pong (using water) with a sustainability twist! This game required participants to answer KPU-relevant sustainability trivia questions with the goal of filling one’s opponents water reservoir by getting the ball into their (water filled) cups fastest! They only can take a turn when they answer the trivia question correctly. KSA also had a table at the event where they promoted the various transportation-related services they have on campus such as the bike lockers, the Multi-Pass, shuttle bus, etc.
All four parties provided draws for sustainable gift baskets and/or sustainable lifestyle freebies like refillable water bottles.
A brief description of the measured positive impact(s) of the campaign (2nd campaign):
The campaign to promote environmental wellness has enhanced awareness at KPU about the notion itself and the associated actions. Campaigns such as these will help institutionalize environmental wellness as an official pillar of wellness. During Thrive Month, the OoS was at all five campuses engaging approximately 20-50+ people at each pop-up tabling event. During Ride to Thrive day, the OoS engaged with around 100 members of the KPU campus community, with students being the most prominent campus group.
Total responses to the engagement board questions from tabling and Ride to Thrive:
1) How do you support "environmental wellness" in your life? - 29 responses
2) What activities, services, or campus features would you like to see at KPU that would support "environmental wellness"? - 20 responses
3) How do you define sustainability at KPU? - 50 responses
4) What is one highlight of your commute? - 35 responses
5) If you could live in student housing on, or right next to, this campus, which of the following features of that housing would be most important to you? - 50 responses that will inform KPU's housing implementation process currently underway
6) Living on campus has many potential benefits for students' well-being and for the environment. If you're interested in living in on-campus student housing, why is that? - 35 responses that will inform KPU's housing implementation process currently underway
Total responses to the engagement board questions from tabling and Ride to Thrive:
1) How do you support "environmental wellness" in your life? - 29 responses
2) What activities, services, or campus features would you like to see at KPU that would support "environmental wellness"? - 20 responses
3) How do you define sustainability at KPU? - 50 responses
4) What is one highlight of your commute? - 35 responses
5) If you could live in student housing on, or right next to, this campus, which of the following features of that housing would be most important to you? - 50 responses that will inform KPU's housing implementation process currently underway
6) Living on campus has many potential benefits for students' well-being and for the environment. If you're interested in living in on-campus student housing, why is that? - 35 responses that will inform KPU's housing implementation process currently underway
A brief description of other sustainability-related outreach campaigns:
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Additional documentation to support the submission:
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Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
SDG Week: https://www.kpu.ca/sdgs/sdg-week
Thrive Month: https://www.kpu.ca/campus-and-community-planning/sustainability
Thrive Month: https://www.kpu.ca/campus-and-community-planning/sustainability
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.