| Overall Rating | Gold |
|---|---|
| Overall Score | 78.59 |
| Liaison | Beverley Ayeni |
| Submission Date | March 1, 2024 |
University of Toronto Mississauga
EN-3: Student Life
| Status | Score | Responsible Party |
|---|---|---|
|
2.00 / 2.00 |
Samantha
Diiorio Sustainability Coordinator Facilities Management and Planning |
Does the institution have an active student group focused on sustainability?:
Name and a brief description of the active student groups focused on sustainability:
1. Student Association for Geography and Environment (SAGE) - The Student Association for Geography and Environment, is a University of Toronto Mississauga academic society which organizes academic and social events for Geography and Environment students.
2. UTM Regenesis - Regenesis is a Canadian community environmental organization. UTM Regenesis creates and manages environmental initiatives and programming that provide services to the local community. They have three common goals that they strive to achieve:
• To educate about the environmental crisis, its effects and potential solutions.
• To raise awareness about sustainable and just solutions and demonstrate alternatives for everyday living and what an ideal future could look like.
• Inspire long-lasting behavioral change and social action involvement in young people.
3. U of T Environmental Resource Network (UTERN) - UTERN is a levy organization that funds other environmental clubs at U of T and provides networking opportunities.
4. UTM Wildlife and Ornithology Club – a group dedicated to the conservation of wildlife and study of birds, they are committed to creating a thriving community that celebrates the beauty and importance of our natural world.
Does the institution have a garden, farm, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery program, or an urban agriculture project where students are able to gain experience in organic agriculture and sustainable food systems?:
A brief description of the gardens, farms, community supported agriculture (CSA) or fishery programs, and/or urban agriculture projects:
UTM is home to a shipping container farm, which operates as a hydroponic system with 36,960” of linear growing space & 8,800 plant sites. Hydroponic food growing decreases the carbon footprint that goes along with mass farming, packaging, and delivery. This method of growing can use up to 99% less water, has no environmental runoff from fertilizers, grows approximately two weeks faster than outdoor agriculture, and uses little to no pesticides and herbicides. It offers a plan to handle future food demands, allows all crops to grow year-round as they are not affected by weather, and it is almost organic-level farming. Students can gain experience at the shipping container farm by joining a campus tour, and through their coursework when researching campus food production and/or sustainable food production.
The University of Toronto Mississauga Student Union also runs a Food Centre, where the aim is to provide access to good food for all students and community members who are food insecure.
Does the institution have a student-run enterprise that includes sustainability as part of its mission statement or stated purpose?:
A brief description of the student-run enterprises:
Inwit is a student-run enterprise that began at the university, working with UTM’s in house accelerator, ICUBE. In 2021, the students launched Inwit, Canada’s first zero waste takeout platform. Their mission statement is: “Inspire & Empower People To Take #ClimateAction, We love inspiring and empowering companies to foster a sustainable workplace culture by providing delicious local restaurant without generating unnecessary waste!”
Does the institution have a sustainable investment fund, green revolving fund, or sustainable microfinance initiative through which students can develop socially, environmentally and fiscally responsible investment and financial skills?:
A brief description of the sustainable investment funds, green revolving funds or sustainable microfinance initiatives:
The UTM Sustainability Office administers a Green Revolving Fund which is an internal fund that provides financing for energy efficiency, renewable energy, operations and maintenance and other sustainability projects that generate cost savings. These savings are tracked and used to replenish the fund for the next round of green investments. Students are encouraged to apply to the Green Revolving Fund to financially support their ideas on campus. Students can schedule a meeting with our sustainability office staff to learn how to create a business case as well.
Has the institution hosted a conference, speaker series, symposium, or similar event focused on sustainability during the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the conferences, speaker series, symposia, or similar events focused on sustainability:
The Sustainability: Transdisciplinary Theory, Practice, and Action (STTPA) Conference ran three full days from Wednesday, October 11th to Friday, October 13th , 2023 at the University of Toronto Mississauga campus in Maanjiwe Nendamowinan and the Instructional Centre Buildings.
The Conference welcomed over 300 attendees, 12 keynotes speakers, 137 presenters (including themed sessions, panels, and workshops), and 69 volunteers.
UTM's Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) program hosts an annual speaker event entitled the "Sustainability Leaders' Series". Past keynote speakers have included Toufah Jallow, who spoke about her book “Toufah - The Woman Who Inspired an African #MeToo Movement”, and MP Elizabeth May who discussed “After COP26 – What Now? Can we Keep 1.5 Alive?”
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/mscsm/mscsm-news-events/special-events/sustainability-leaders-series
Has the institution hosted a cultural arts event, installation, or performance focused on sustainability with the previous three years that had students as the intended audience?:
A brief description of the cultural arts events, installations, or performances focused on sustainability:
The "We Are Resilient" exhibition by the City of Mississauga made its debut at UTM in the Maanjiwe Nendamowinan building from January 26th to February 17th, 2023, in a high traffic student area.. Drawing inspiration from the City's Climate Change Action Plan, this exhibition tackled the crucial aspects of climate change: mitigation and adaptation. Its primary objective was to educate individuals about fundamental climate change concepts, such as global warming. The exhibition achieved this by utilizing a combination of resident-submitted photographs and stories, alongside insights from scientific experts.
The exhibition prominently featured four key areas: land history, climate science, equity, and resilience. Through thoughtfully designed panels, it effectively communicated practical strategies for individuals to reduce their GHG footprint. Moreover, it demonstrated how people can enhance their resilience towards the impacts of climate change by incorporating simple yet impactful actions into their daily routines. Additionally, ENV332 (a third-year environment course) students focused their project on the We Are Resilient exhibit at UTM and engaged their peers on campus.
Youth are one of the City’s target audiences per the Climate Change Action Plan, thus bringing the exhibit to UTM was part of their strategy to engage students and young people in Mississauga.
Does the institution have a wilderness or outdoors program that follow Leave No Trace principles?:
A brief description of the wilderness or outdoors programs that follow Leave No Trace principles:
The Wildlife and Ornithology Club at UTM regularly organizes birdwatching and wildlife walks and hikes around campus and the surrounding area. During routine birdwatching events, they typically venture out in small groups of 3-7 participants. On social media, the club emphasizes the importance of dressing appropriately for the event and encourages students to bring their own birdwatching equipment, such as binoculars.
Given that the UTM Nature trail runs along a cliff edge, the club explicitly states that participants must stick to designated trails to prevent dangerous situations and preserve the natural environment. The club is conscientious about safety and environmental conservation.
As the walks usually last around 1.5 hours, participants tend not to bring disposable items. However, the club still reminds students about responsible waste disposal to ensure the preservation of the natural and cultural landscape they aim to explore and learn from.
Lastly, this club follows all of the principles outlined in the "Leave No Trace Principles".
Has the institution had a sustainability-focused theme chosen for a themed semester, year, or first-year experience during the previous three years?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused themes chosen for themed semesters, years, or first-year experiences:
The annual campus Sustainability Week always has a theme. In March 2023, the theme was Acknowledge. Align. Act. As we collectively acknowledge there is a climate crisis and we all have a part to play, align our skills and values to an area of sustainability, and act towards making important changes for the planet. The purpose of this week is to create an impact and encourage collaboration on campus towards a more sustainable community on campus and beyond.
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/mscsm/sustainability-corner/sustainability-week/sustainability-week-2023
Does the institution have a program through which students can learn sustainable life skills?:
A brief description of the programs through which students can learn sustainable life skills:
The Sustainability Office has a team of waste volunteers through the Sustainability Ambassadors program where they engage in peer-to-peer teaching to educate the UTM community about proper waste sorting, waste management, and what it means to have a circular economy. Additionally, the Sustainability Office participates in the Health and Counseling Centre (HCC) Wellness programs such as the Be Well Fair and Wellness 101 sessions. During these events, we’ve hosted workshops on coping with climate anxiety, a growing mental crisis among young people specifically.
Does the institution offer sustainability-focused student employment opportunities?:
A brief description of the sustainability-focused student employment opportunities offered by the institution:
Multiple sustainability-focused student employment opportunities are available each year.
During the fall-winter academic year, the Sustainability Office hires students to assist with Sustainability Office programming and events via the Work-Study program. These positions include a Marketing & Social Media Coordinator, and a Waste & Material Recovery Coordinator.
During the spring-summer term, the Sustainability Office hires sustainability intern(s), typically through school internship programs.
From April-October, there are also job opportunities available with UTM BikeShare. Each year, 2 students (one BikeShare Coordinator and one BikeShare Assistant) are hired to oversee the day-to-day operations of the UTM BikeShare program. These positions work to recruit and train volunteers, sign bikes in and out, and ensure that the fleet of bikes are maintained in good and safe working order. https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/green/bikeshare
In addition, the UTM Student Union hires a Sustainability Coordinator each year.
Does the institution have a graduation pledge through which students pledge to consider social and environmental responsibility in future job and other decisions?:
A brief description of the graduation pledge(s):
A brief description of other co-curricular sustainability programs and initiatives that do not fall into one of the above categories:
• The Sustainability Office in collaboration with the City of Mississauga hosted two campus litter clean-up events, the first in June 2022 to celebrate World Environment Day, and the other to celebrate Earth Day in April 2023. In total, 120 people participated, collecting 68.13 kg of landfill, and 4.54 kg of recyclable materials. These two events were brought to fruition as a collaborative effort with the City of Mississauga, UTM’s Grounds team, and the Recreation, Athletics, and Wellness Centre (RAWC). The City provided different coloured bags for pick-up, litter pickers for those with accessibility needs, and a scale to weigh the results. The Grounds members led teams to the clean-up sites and provided safety tips to participants, and lastly, the RAWC led the entire group in a pre-clean-up stretch.
• The Master of Science in Sustainability Management (MScSM) graduate program also has a student Executive Council that not only supports MScSM students but also works with campus partners to deliver events such as Sustainability Week, and social activities.
Additional documentation to support the submission:
Data source(s) and notes about the submission:
Student Association for Geography and Environment (SAGE):
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/sage/geography-society
UTM Regenesis:
https://regenesis.eco/en/chapters/mississauga
U of T Environmental Resource Network (UTERN):
https://uterntoronto.com/
UTM Wildlife and Ornithology Club:
https://www.instagram.com/utm_wo/
Green Revolving Fund:
https://www.utm.utoronto.ca/green/transforming-our-campus/green-revolving-fund
STTPA Conference:
https://sttpaconference.com/
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.