University of Alberta
ER-T2-1: Student Group

SUSTAIN SU: THE STUDENT SUSTAINABILITY SERVICE Sustain SU is a service of the Students’ Union (SU) that 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. To achieve its mission, the organization operates under three pillars: 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. In addition, 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, as well as information on how to further explore what sustainability means to them. Each project is facilitated by volunteers who communicate the sustainable qualities and results of the respective project to 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 the University of Alberta’s various organizations, as well as by providing student and community initiatives with in-kind support and greater access to the SU’s resources.

- Operated the Reusable Dish Program whose total rentals for 2013-14: 12,851 dinner plates, 3,010 appetizer plates, 6,935 cups, 227 pitchers - Co-coordinated more than 60 Campus Sustainability Volunteers, with the Office of Sustainability, for a total number of volunteer hours (2013-14) of 1, 806 hours. - Hosted two full academic years of the Farmers’ Market series. - Increased the number of bike rentals for our Bike Library & Workshop program by 81% last season. - Participated in International Week for the first time in 2014, holding a SUSTAINexchange on contemporary food issues. Recent Awards: - Emerald Award-Youth Category (2011) - Community Garden Award (2011) - Campus Sustainability Leadership Award Honorary Mention (2012, 13)