Blog

Ezgi (she/her) has an incredibly impressive resume: she holds Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in Chemistry and a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering. She’s now doing a postdoc at Waterloo, with a focus on mitigation of greenhouse gases from sewer systems.  

As we celebrate UN World Water Day on March 22, I thought she’d be the perfect feature for this month’s Sustainability Story.

Last month, I had the chance to speak with Shreya Rao (she/her), the current WUSA Sustainability Commissioner, about her work and how she got involved with the WUSA Sustainability Project (WSP).

Marking Open Education Week and SDG Week

WAT's Sustainable, Waterloo? Welcome to the official Sustainability's Office's podcast: WAT's Sustainable?  

The University of Waterloo’s Sustainability Office held its eighth annual Eco Summit with the theme: “Youth Leading the Way for Climate Action”.

October is Waste Reduction month! It is a great time to think about how we can reduce our carbon footprint and work toward achieving SDG #12: Responsible Consumption & Production. Repurposing also contributes to SDG #13: Climate Action by diverting waste and reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions produced by landfills.

In a world where things are starting to look closer to “normalcy,” the back-to-school shopping season is upon us again. From stationary supplies, to dorm room decorations, to clothing, to apartment furnishings and more, many of us will be making purchases for school this month, whether we are students, staff, or have family going back to school. What better time to incorporate sustainability considerations into your shopping behaviours? 

We generate an extensive amount of waste in and around our households. Rather than purchasing new or tossing unwanted materials into the garbage, consider repurposing items and giving them a second life! In the past few months, the Green Office ambassadors have shared their sustainability projects executed at home to inspire others that their trash can also transform into treasures.

Prior to COVID-19, zero-waste take-out was already challenging. The pandemic made it even harder, with restrictions on the use of personal mugs, take-out boxes and more for sanitation reasons. However, one company is beating the odds and helping local restaurants transform their practices towards circular systems. Today, we are sharing the story of A Friendlier Company, whose vision is to create a centralized, circular system across Canada.

While majority of the University of Waterloo may be running virtually right now, the Sustainability Office is still here to help you incorporate sustainability into your daily life – from the comfort of your own home! For every month of 2021 we are focusing on a specific sustainability theme, demonstrating just how diverse sustainability can be.