The University of British Columbia
ER-T2-1: Student Group

There are numerous volunteer-run student clubs, organizations and initiatives at UBC focused on sustainability. While some activities are in specific departments or faculties, many are open to students of all disciplines. For a full list, please see: http://sustain.ubc.ca/student-groups. _________________________ STUDENT UNION GROUPS: ALMA MATER SOCIETY (AMS) LIGHTER FOOTPRINT STRATEGY http://www.ams.ubc.ca/campus-life/ams-sustainability/ The UBC Alma Mater Society (AMS) recognizes the ecological crisis that humanity faces and the special responsibility universities and university students have in finding and implementing solutions. The creation of the AMS Lighter Footprint Strategy in 2008 provides a framework for walking the talk. From local food security, responsible consumption, and a youth climate action coalition to a water bottle-free campus campaign, community-based social marketing and the Natural Step Framework, the Lighter Footprint Strategy initiative showcases the many faces of sustainability, strives to build stronger campus sustainability networks and fosters sustainable behavior change in our everyday life. BIKE KITCHEN www.thebikekitchen.com The Bike Kitchen is UBC's non-profit, student-owned, full-service bike shop. The shop was founded by the UBC Bike Co-op, with the support of the UBC Alma Mater Society and the Trek Program Centre. At the Bike Kitchen, you can purchase a fully refurbished and guaranteed used bicycle; donate your old bike and parts; fix your bike with our tools; learn to fix your bike if you don't already know how; leave your bike for repairs if you're too busy; and choose from a wide selection of new and used parts and accessories. FRIENDS OF THE UBC FARM www.friendsoftheubcfarm.wordpress.com Friends of the UBC Farm (FotF) is a group open to both students (as a UBC Alma Mater Society club) and the wider community. Our mission is to support the Centre for Sustainable Food Systems at the UBC Farm by increasing awareness about the value of the UBC Farm and its education, research and community outreach programs at UBC and wider communities. Of course, we love food, and we love doing fun activities relating to land, food and community.
 This year, FotF will be working to support the successful adoption of the Sustainability Academic Strategy and the South Campus Academic Plan, which outline the long-term future for the farm. We will also continue to organize fun workshops and events at the farm, and raise awareness about the farm through our presence at outreach events throughout the city. If you are interested in connecting with this great community of students and non-students, feel free to drop into our weekly meetings or send us an e-mail.
 SPROUTS www.ubcsprouts.ca Sprouts is a 100% volunteer and student-run organization at UBC. Through our many initiatives we endeavour to make healthy, affordable, and sustainably produced food accessible to everyone on campus. Sprouts is a favourite destination for seasonal organic soups, fresh organic bread, baked goods, and fair trade coffee. We also offer workshops and a grocery delivery service, organize a bulk grocery buying club, and host a bi-weekly free lunch (Community Eats). A dynamic, volunteer-powered initiative, we aim to connect customers to the land and people that grow their food. STUDENT ENVIRONMENT CENTRE www.ams.ubc.ca/campus-life/ams-resource-groups/student-environment-centre/ The Student Environment Centre (SEC) is a resource group mandated by the UBC Alma Mater Society for people within the UBC community who are concerned, or would like to learn more about, environmental problems and the broader issues of sustainability facing our planet. We provide environmental and sustainability resources to the UBC community and organize events throughout the year on campus, such as Responsible Consumption Week, and events for our members, such as the annual Bike to Wildwood. If you have an idea for an environmental event or program, you can apply to SEC for funding and we are happy to provide advice, volunteers, funding and any other support you may need for your project. _________________________ FACULTY ASSOCIATED GROUPS: AGRICULTURE UNDERGRAD SOCIETY http://blogs.landfood.ubc.ca/agus The Agriculture Undergrad Society (AGUS) is a student-run organization committed to building a sense of community within the Faculty of Land and Food Systems. From growing and harvesting to cooking and eating, the faculty knows all about food and understands the unique ability food has to bring people together. The AGUS knows that students may not always have the means or time to cook nutritious meals for themselves. With this in mind, every week AGUS members plan, shop for and prepare dinner for students, faculty and staff. The dinners have grown in popularity, and now the AGUS serves meals for upwards of 100 people each week. The menu focuses around local seasonal food and tries to uses produce from the UBC Farm and the Faculty of Land and Food Systems Orchard Garden when available. CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL ENGINEERING SUSTAINABILITY CLUB www.chbe.ubc.ca/sustainability The Chemical and Biological Engineering (CHBE) Sustainability Club is made up of students and faculty who wish to serve as a model of sustainability for individual members and our University community. The main goal of the club is to foster a culture of sustainability in the department and on campus. This is achieved through Education, Academic Integration and Enhancement of department sustainability. The club organizes events, including movie nights, regular speaker series, field trips and large e-waste collection. The club also has a number of ongoing projects, including a bi-weekly newsletter, organic waste collection, e-waste collection and a departmental sustainability assessment. Please contact us if you would like to receive the newsletter or become involved with the club. We welcome new members from any department. COMMERCE UNDERGRADUATE SOCIETY SUSTAINABILITY www.cussustainability.com The Commerce Undergraduate Society (CUS) Sustainability's mission is to provide opportunities for Sauder School of Business students to educate themselves on what sustainability means in the context of business; to motivate students to integrate sustainability into their professional and personal lives; and to use the Commerce Undergraduate Society as a model for how sustainability can be implemented into the operations and strategic thinking of an organization. In only its second year of operation, CUS Sustainability has successfully hosted two Chasing Sustainability Conferences, which have brought together a diverse and engaged group of students, faculty, and members of Vancouver’s business community in an intimate, discussion-oriented setting aimed at educating students about the current paradigm shift affecting the business world. Through the efforts of CUS Sustainability, the Sauder School of Business is now offering a Business and Sustainability concentration. ENVIRONMENTAL LAW GROUP (ELG) http://faculty.law.ubc.ca/environ/ The Environmental Law Group (ELG) is a student-run organization operating out of the Faculty of Law at UBC. Our primary goal is to promote greater awareness of the legal aspects of current environmental problems to the community and to offer opportunities to law students to understand the practice of environmental law. The ELG sponsors many events at the law school, including an Environmental Negotiation Competition, Career Panel, field trips, and more. In the past year, the ELG has hosted these and other events, and submitted environmental suggestions to the committee planning a new law building. ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE STUDENTS ASSOCIATION OF UBC http://clubs.ams.ubc.ca/clubs/essa/ The Environmental Science Students Association (ESSA) is the student club representing the environmental science program at UBC. We are dedicated to bringing together people with a passion for the environment. To do this, we organize social events for students to get to know each other outside the classroom. We also put on academic conferences and discussions with professionals in the environmental sciences field, as well as study groups for the program's core courses. We also take part in events promoting public awareness of environmental issues. GEOGRAPHY STUDENTS ASSOCIATION http://www.ubcgsa.com The Geography Students Association (GSA) is one of the most active student organizations on campus. The GSA strives to build and maintain a sense of community within the geography department, and maintain a liaison between the students, staff and faculty. We promote social, academic and leadership opportunities for our members and strive to make our club and department sustainable socially, environmentally and economically. The GSA offers beer gardens, majors nights, graduate school information sessions, bake sales, a UBC Rec sports team, field trips and many more community events. MEDICAL STUDENTS FOR THE ENVIRONMENT http://ubcmed.com/index.php Climate change and environmental degradation increasingly threaten life on this planet. As future health care providers, we believe that we must make every effort to reduce our environmental impacts in both our professional and private lives. Medical Students for the Environment (MSE) connects environmentally-minded medical students and promotes awareness of the intricate connections between health and the environment. Simply put, what is good for the environment is good for health. UBC EMERGING GREEN BUILDERS http://sites.google.com/site/ubcegb/ The UBC Emerging Green Builders (UBC EGB) engages a robust inter-disciplinary network of students, scholars, professors, practitioners, and administrators concerned with the future of the built environment. We intend to provide students and new professionals affordable resources for integrating green design in their studies and practice. Further, it is our mission to partake in advancing UBC and the Pacific Northwest as a global leader in sustainable design, development, and building. _________________________ UBC AND BEYOND: COMMON ENERGY UBC www.ubc.commonenergyubc.wordpress.com Common Energy UBC is a student-led organization whose mission is to bring UBC beyond climate neutral. In other words, we believe that the UBC community of students, faculty and staff should work together to reduce our climate footprint AND create solutions for a climate neutral future. We envision a campus that does more to solve the climate crisis than it does to cause it. We envision UBC setting an example of the political, social, environmental, and economic solutions needed to build livable futures in the context of the climate crisis. Common Energy has a proven history of success and is continually adapting to achieve its vision. We currently have four subgroups–Challenges, Education, Dialogue and Tangible Solutions–working in dynamic ways for a beyond climate neutral campus. ENGINEERS WITHOUT BORDERS UBC http://ubc.ewb.ca/ The UBC chapter of Engineers Without Borders is a dedicated family of student volunteers, working to improve the livelihood of people in developing countries. And it’s not just for engineers! We are one of 34 professional and student chapters that is working to create lasting change. By engaging fellow Canadians, government, faculty, and companies, we promote building connections to Africa and making choices that better contribute to human development. GoBEYOND PROJECT http://www.go-beyond.ca/ The GoBeyond Project was developed, and is run by, student groups at post-secondary institutions across BC. Our mission is to educate, inspire, engage and support students in implementing climate action on campus and in the community. At UBC, the GoBEYOND Project is operated as a partnership between the Campus Sustainability Office, the Sierra Youth Coalition and Common Energy UBC. Join us today and be part of a movement to take climate action beyond carbon neutrality on our campus. OXFAM UBC Oxfam UBC is committed to developing innovative ways to support Oxfam's important aid and relief work, and to raising awareness of global poverty. We act locally, helping to create UBC's Ethical Purchasing Policy Committee, which draws together representatives from the UBC Alma Mater Society, the administration, and Oxfam Canada, and is committed to the goal of a "No Sweat" campus. We also foster partnerships to host exciting events such as fundraiser dinners, film nights, concerts, rallies, Uneven Playing Field soccer games, and workshops. Come join us and take this opportunity to act locally on global issues, while meeting great people and building lifelong skills. SAUDER NET IMPACT www.mbasociety.ca/netimpact The Sauder School of Business's Net Impact Club is devoted to finding business solutions that promote environmental and social sustainability. It's Sauder's largest student club and has over 130 members. The group hosts speakers, pro-bono consulting sessions and other social and networking events. Net Impact members attend conferences worldwide and volunteer in the community to make an impact. Its flagship event is the Sauder Net Impact Conference and Career Fair which occurs each spring, bringing in 160 attendees, and representatives from 40 community-minded organizations.