University of Alberta
ER-T2-1: Student Group

Sustain SU is a service of the Students’ Union (SU). It provides peer-to-peer learning and support for all undergraduate students to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of their university experience. This includes providing sustainability-based services to the entire campus community, as well as opportunities to facilitate change on a larger scale. Sustain SU defines sustainability as a decision-making process and lifestyle that balances economic, social, and environmental responsibility in a just and equitable manner. To achieve its mission, Sustain SU operates under three pillars, Student Engagement, Services,and Collaboration: STUDENT ENGAGEMENT Sustain SU provides employment and volunteer opportunities that allow students to become involved in the provision of sustainability-based services, as well as larger scale cultural change. Specifically, Sustain SU personnel help all departments within the SU advance and communicate the sustainability of their operations. SERVICES Sustain SU operates a number of projects that provide campus community members with tangible and easy ways to live more sustainably. Each project is operated by volunteers who tailor Sustain SU’s services to the needs of their clients. COLLABORATION Through a strong working relationship with the Office of Sustainability, Sustain SU works to make it easier for students to launch sustainability-related initiatives, as well as improve the sustainability of current efforts. This is done by actively seeking to collaborate with UAlberta’s various support organizations, as well as providing student and community initiatives with in-kind support and greater access to the SU’s resources. Sustain SU activities, planned and implemented by a core of five full- and part-time staff, as well as more than 100 student volunteers every year, include: a fully operational Bike Library, the Naturalization Project, an organic Campus Community Garden, Educational Presentations and workshops, InfoLink e-Waste Recycling Program, a popular Reusable Dish Program, monthly peer-to-peer discussion-based Green Sessions, and an active social community for those involved.

While Sustain SU was chosen as the focus of this credit, UAlberta has more than 400 active student groups on campus, with about 20 related to sustainability. http://www.su.ualberta.ca/services/studentgroups/