News

Sit Spots, inspired by the work of Jon Young, a renowned nature connection and culture repair mentor, form a foundational practice of this course and the basis for our exploration of the connections between peace and conflict to the environment. This is part of what sets this course apart from other environmental courses offered at UWaterloo. 

At Grebel, sustainability and the environment are of great importance to students. From campfires after dark at Orientation Week, to weekends spent outdoors building community at Camp Trillium, to vibrant Environment Committee meetings, creation is a central part of life here.

Climate change is a threat to archives and other centres of knowledge. Around the world, cultural heritage and community memory is threatened by fires, floods, severe weather, and environmental conflicts.

This year, Grebel officially joined Sustainable Waterloo Region’s Regional Sustainability Initiative. As a member, Grebel will share and learn best practices with other like-minded organizations.

Grebel Alumni are scattered across the globe, pursuing a vast assortment of vocations and lifestyles. With a focus on the care of our earth, the following profiles highlight a just a few of the interesting, intentional, and invaluable work some Grebel alumni are pursuing.

When the pandemic first closed down workplaces in March 2020, Simon Guthrie, like so many others at the time, found himself struggling to make sense of the world around him. 

Third-year PACS student Samuel Farkas spent his summer with his hands in the earth, planting 110,000 saplings in clear-cut areas of British Columbia.

In June of 1999, Ed Janzen began his role as Chaplain at Grebel, with experience, energy, and passion. He came with a desire to serve the College and with the perspective that service needs to be relational from beginning to end.

As families arrived for Grebel’s Move-In Day over the Labour Day weekend, joy was visible in student eyes, even as masks hid their smiles. Students have modeled care for their community by diligently wearing masks inside the public places of Grebel and outside when distancing isn’t possible.

On a gorgeous Saturday in July, Chaplain Ed Janzen led a dozen students and a few staff on a biking and learning tour of the Queen’s Bush area in Ontario, which includes Glen Allen, Macton, and Wallenstein.