Excitement grows as we approach Halloween and Thanksgiving. As fun as they can be, these holiday traditions often tend to be wasteful, and so the way we celebrate has to change for the health and safety of our planet. We often get caught up in the moment where we forget how our actions can impact the environment.
Welcome back, Warriors! And welcome home to all of our new staff or students. The focus for September at the Sustainability Office is climate change, because we believe it is one of the most important topics to educate all of our new (and returning) community members on!
WAT's Sustainable, Waterloo? Welcome to the official Sustainability's Office's official podcast: WAT's Sustainable?
On episode 10, we chat with Murray Zink, a staff member at the University and founder of 4RepairKW, a community-based organization composed of volunteers passionate about repairing items and educating the public on how to be more responsible and skilful consumers. This conversation dives into the concept of repair and why fostering a repair culture in the community is important for sustainability.
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?
WAT's Sustainable, Waterloo? Welcome to the official Sustainability's Office's official podcast: WAT's Sustainable?
On episode 09, we hear from Brendan Schaefer from Reep Green Solutions. Join Jenna and Andrea Bale, the Sustainability Engagement Coordinator at the Sustainability Office, as they discuss sustainable transportation. The conversation explores why water conservation is important both globally and within Waterloo Region, opportunities to conserve water in affordable, low-maintenance ways at home and more.
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.
On episode 08, we learn about auto cities, including their history in relation to the boom in the automotive industry, how auto cities impact the environment as well as our health and wellbeing, and ways we can promote more sustainable travel within our auto-focused communities.
In June, we asked the University of Waterloo community to participate in our Bike Month campaign, a four-week contest that encourages individuals to snap a photo of themselves on a bike ride or share their favourite cycling story. Although the Sustainability Office normally hosts its Bike Month activities in-person, Bike Month 2021 was designed to be entirely virtual due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Nonetheless, this post briefly summarizes how active and passionate the community is for cycling in their day-to-day lives.
Summer is in full swing, which likely means many trips to the swimming pool, water park (if they reopen), watering our gardens, and other activities on top of everyday water-using tasks like washing dishes, taking showers, flushing toilets, and more. As you can imagine, we tend to use a lot of water at this time of year, so the Sustainability Office is exploring ways we can reduce our personal water consumption for the month of July.
