Environment community selects a new mascot

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This winter term, we paused to consider whether The Big Banana continues to represent the vibrancy of the Environment community or if introducing a new mascot could better capture who we are today. A poll to alumni, students, faculty and staff showed a slight majority in favour of exploring a new mascot with a tree, leaf and bee emerging as the top three suggestions. Given the close outcome and feedback from students who wanted to see the banana remain part of the conversation, we included The Big Banana alongside the top three new ideas in our most recent mascot selection poll.

The poll ran from March 24 to April 10, 2026, and saw 887 responses. Participants ranked their preferred mascot for the Faculty, and the bee emerged as the top-ranked, preferred choice.

As we move forward with the bee as our new mascot, we recognize the important role The Big Banana has played in our community’s history. We know you may have questions about how The Big Banana will remain part of the Faculty of Environment. We have attempted to answer those here and provide more detail about the process. Read more about:

How were the votes calculated?

Our survey had 887 respondents rank their preferred mascot options from #1 (most preferred) to #4 (least preferred).

We used a weighted calculation system to learn what mascot the majority of the 887 respondents voted for, which was the bee.  

Who participated in the survey?

We had a total of 887 respondents from across the Faculty of Environment.

What will happen to the banana?

The Big Banana will remain part of the Faculty of Environment’s orientation lore. Its origin story will be taught to new students, and the banana will continue to be used in Orientation activities each year. For example, first-year students will still receive their banan-dana, play games like Capture the Banana and Environment’s Bee-stand will hand out bananas. Additionally, there are plans to encase and display the original costume in one of the Faculty’s main foyers to share the story with visitors new and familiar with the faculty.

Has any other faculty or college on campus changed their mascot?

Today, Cobalt is the official mascot for the Faculty of Science. Before Cobalt’s debut, there was Arriba the Amoeba who was introduced in 1997 and retired in 2019. 

In 2022 the Faculty of Science wanted a mascot that was more easily recognizable and representative of all Science students. After consultations, a dinosaur was chosen, which was also inspired by the albertosaurus skeleton displayed in Waterloo’s Earth Sciences Museum.

The dinosaur was named Cobalt, as a tribute to the periodic element and the Faculty’s signature colour. It also honours Cobalt, Ontario; a town that was the centre of silver mining in the early 1900s and was instrumental in building the Cobalt Discovery Mine Tunnel, which connects Earth Sciences & Chemistry (ESC) and the Centre for Environmental and Information Technology (EIT).

When will the new mascot be introduced?

Our next step is to work on a design for the mascot costume and procure it. We are aiming to complete this process with community engagement during the Spring 2026 term.

Where will you see the new mascot?

The bee will appear at Environment community events such as Environment Ready Day, Camp Environment, ESS Wellness Week and in campus wide activities.

Why a bee?

The bee symbolizes collaboration, productivity, social organization, pollination and the interconnectedness of natural and human systems. It is currently used as the ENVigorate logo and in undergraduate orientation programming. 

It connects to our Faculty's purpose and strengths in the following ways: 

• Bee colonies represent organized systems and efficient spatial structure, a parallel to urban planning and community design. Pollinators travel between spaces, symbolizing connectivity in regional planning.
• Bees are keystone species in biodiversity and ecosystem health. Their decline reflects major challenges: climate change, habitat loss, and sustainable transitions.
• Bees depend on well‑managed environments linking to environmental stewardship, conservation policy, and land management.
• The hive is a classic metaphor for a productive, cooperative organization. Bees illustrate the importance of teamwork, leadership, and the collective creation of value. Also a connection with B-Corps meeting a high standard of social and environmental performance.

The BESt mascot for Environment is a project led by the Dean’s Office staff in collaboration with student leaders from ESS and student associations. Questions about the project can be directed to Chantal Vallis by emailing c2vallis@uwaterloo.ca.

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