About the guide
The Sustainability Office developed the Sustainability Guide to help you live a sustainable lifestyle, whether you are new to sustainable living or looking for ways to improve your current sustainable behaviours.
This digital guide is divided into two main sections: exploring sustainability and general resources. The first section will explore various topics, resources and actions to incorporate in your life. The second section will provide general resources on sustainability if you’re interested in exploring further, including blog posts, books, documentaries and more, as well as resources to connect with local groups, businesses, and organizations that are helping to make Waterloo Region more sustainable.
Exploring Sustainability
This section will provide an introduction to a range of specific sustainability topics, introductory resources to learn more and practical ways to incorporate simple, sustainable behaviours into your life. We have included resources to suit various learning and accessibility needs, so whether you prefer listening, watching or reading, we hope you’ll find resources that work for you. While the list of resources included is not exhaustive, it provides many great starting points for you to explore!
Reducing my emissions
Learn
- What is a carbon footprint? by You Matter [read]
- What Are Carbon Footprints by FuseSchool [watch] (CC)
- TED Talk: This country isn’t just carbon neutral – it’s carbon negative by Tshering Tobgay [watch] (CC)
- Talking Carbon Footprinting by Talk Policy To Me [listen] (transcribed)
- Are carbon offsets the answer to climate-altering flights? by the David Suzuki Foundation [read]
- University of Waterloo Climate and Energy Action Plan [read]
Act
GET STARTED
- Measure: Discover your current carbon footprint and get tips for reducing your personal emissions through Project Neutral
- Reduce: Use these 35 tips from Colombia University to start reducing your carbon footprint.
GO FURTHER
- Educate: Promote climate change education and action on your social media accounts
- Set goals: Set personal goals to reduce your contribution to climate change, such as a goal for reducing your carbon footprint by the end of 2021
Sustainable clothing purchases
Fast fashion – the cheap, mass-produced “in” clothing that changes every season – is highly unsustainable, with environmental and social impacts. Supporting “slow” fashion is a way to directly combat this unsustainable system in your everyday life, while still expressing yourself through your clothing!
GET STARTED
- Shop certified: Look for garments from companies with third-party certifications that ensure ethical, sustainable production practices – use the EcoLabel Index to learn what labels are used in the textile industry
- Donate: If you have textiles from clothing and other materials that you no longer have use for, donate them! Some places will even accept textiles for recycling that are no longer wearable. Places like Value Village and Goodwill can recycle your textiles.
GO FURTHER
- Minimize: Follow Pinch of Yum's capsule wardrobe starter guide to create your own capsule wardrobe
- Swap: Host a clothing swap with friends, family and/or your community! Also check if your community is hosting one; student societies at UW often host them, as have businesses around Waterloo, such as at Seven Shores.
Enhancing diversity and inclusivity
Sustainability goes beyond the environment. It also includes fostering diverse, equitable and inclusive social systems. Read the Strategic Plan to learn the University's specific equity-related goals. The University's Equity Office is working towards making campus policies and programs more accessible and inclusive every day with the support of diverse staff, student and Faculty members. The Equity Office also has many resources and tools available to inform you about your rights and available supports related to equity. In addition, check out the Indigenous Initiatives Office's resources and research, available to the public. With regards to accessibility, check out the on- and off-campus accessibility resources provided by Accessibility Services.
GET STARTED
- Get informed: Read the University’s Strategic Plan to learn about what diversity and inclusivity priorities UW seeks to accomplish over the next 5 years
- Explore: Explore the groups, services and resources in Waterloo Region that are serving to increase accessibility and equity in the community
- Attend lectures: Watch Equity4Who’s virtual teach-in on how to make the University a more inclusive and equitable place
GO FURTHER
- Shop: Support a BIPOC-owned business in KW or in your home community - check out this Waterloo Region BIPOC-Owned Shopping Guide created by Explore Waterloo Region
Saving energy
Waterloo Region has both seen an increase in population growth and residential energy consumption in recent years, and while the data is not yet available, residential home energy use has likely surged since March 2020. Learn more about the University's energy goals and targets in the Shift: Neutral climate action plan.
GET STARTED
- Rent mindfully: Live in a student condo or apartment? Save on Energy shares ways to reduce your energy use as a renter
- Conserve: Read Reep Green Solution's Home Energy 101 blog with dozens of posts on energy saving ideas
- Study: Explore the clean energy research being done by the Waterloo Institute for Sustainable Energy
GO FURTHER
- Get reimbursed: Check out the Energy Affordability Program offered through Save on Energy which offers energy assessments, toolkits and more
- Audit: Get a Home Energy Audit offered by Reep Green Solutions
- Shop smart: Shop for appliances and other household items that have the ENERGY STAR label, which certifies that it is an energy-efficient product
Choosing healthy and sustainable food
GET STARTED
- Shop local: Check out the St. Jacobs or Kitchener Farmers Market (open during the pandemic)
- Caffeinate consciously: Visit a coffee/tea shop that supports sustainable, ethical production practices, such as Distinctly Tea, EcoCafé St. Jacobs, Seven Shores, or Smile Tiger Coffee Roasters
- Minimize meat: Check out this interactive database for plant-based/plant-friendly restaurants in KW by Happy Cow
- Reduce waste: Reduce avoidable food waste with UW Food Services’ list of kitchen and grocery resources, which have tips for meal planning, grocery shopping, food storage and more
GO FURTHER
- Support farmers: Explore the list of CSAs in KW to find the one that is closest to you
- Advocate: Join the Food System Roundtable WR, a community group that meets virtually to champion for healthy, sustainable and equitable food systems within Waterloo Region; you can contact them through their Facebook page
- Nourish: Make sure you are getting all and enough essential nutrients with this Vegan Nutrition Guide by Virginia Messina
Growing nature around you
GET STARTED
- Go natural: Use food-based or organic fertilizers to feed your lawn/garden. Even better, contact Campus Compost to use compost that was created right here on campus!
- Grow inside: No outdoor space? No problem! Follow these tips from WWF Canada to start a container garden
GO FURTHER
- Identify: Use the Ontario Invasive Plant Council’s website to learn how to identify and report invasive species, too!
- Grow drought-tolernt: Check out these drought-tolerant plants that are suitable to grow in Ontario's climate and soils
- Grow together: Build a community garden, or encourage a local community centre to create one
- Collect: Install a rain barrel for watering your lawn and garden
- Manage: Plant a rain garden to support biodiversity and manage stormwater at the same time with Reep Green Solutions' Beginner’s Guide to Building a Rain Garden
Support mental health and wellness
GET STARTED
- Start practicing: Use Tiny Buddha's blog post with 45 self-care practices for inspiration to start your self-care journey – they demonstrate just how diverse self-care activities can be!
- Seek help: Explore the University’s mental health resources to see how UW can support your wellbeing
- Be mindful: Download one of these free mindfulness apps to help you start practicing mindful living
GO FURTHER
- Get trained: Participate in virtual mental health training programs to help you better recognize, escalate and/or support peers with struggling with their mental health – these skills are especially useful for individuals in leadership positions
- Explore resources: Download Behind My Mind's Mental Health Resources guide for accessible services and resources across Southern Ontario
Commute and travel sustainably
GET STARTED
- Use public transit: The GRT buses and LRT ION train transit passes are included in your student fees, so you can hop on and off of public transit at your leisure! Employees are also eligible for a 15% discount on a GRT/ION corporate pass. You can also utilize their trip planning tool.
- Explore trails: Check out Waterloo Region’s many walking/cycling trails; plan your trip using one of many maps of the urban and rural parts of the Region
- Brainstorm: Plan your trips to sustainably managed destinations, starting with these Canadian destinations by Study Canada
GO FURTHER
- Plan: Use your UW credentials to take advantage of TravelWise, the Region of Waterloo’s tool for trip planning, carpool planning, the Emergency-Ride-Home program and more
- Offset: Use this carbon offsetting blog post by Seaside with Emily to learn about how to reserach and buy carbon offsets
- Be inspired: Check case studies from around the world on how sustainability is being incorporated into the tourism industry
- Make a list: Create a set of criteria for yourself when selecting places to travel/stay and companies to support, and use this list for your future travels
- Be respectful: Learn about the norms and culture of the place you will be visiting
Reduce your waste
GET STARTED
- Shop: Support zero-waste stores or places that allow you to bring your own containers, including Legacy Greens and Full Circle Foods, Zerocery (online shopping available for all locations)
- On Campus: Check out the Sustainability Office's Free Store for school supplies and home goods at no cost to you!
- Explore: Check the Bring-Your-Own-Container (BYOC) directory for Waterloo Region
GO FURTHER
- Track progress: Use the interactive Zero Waste Checklist tool to keep track of your progress towards a zero-waste lifestyle
- Learn skills: Attend an item repair workshop to prolong the life of your personal belongings: check out @4repairKW on Instagram for updates
- Support community: Check out the KW Library of Things, a place to borrow items like tools, garden equipment, kitchen appliances, camping gear and more – you can also donate your own items to benefit others in the community
- Work together: Register for ShareWaste if you live in an apartment to find places to drop off organics waste in the community, or allow apartment residents to drop off organics at your home
Conserve your water
GET STARTED
- Conserve: Use Wai Water's list of 100 ways to conserve water to help reduce your water consumption at home
- Mindfulness: Be conscientious when using water! Take short (less than 5 min) showers, wash clothing in cold water and only run laundry machines/dishwashers at full loads
- Set goals: Use the Region of Waterloo’s Water Conservation Tips Sheet for setting more in-depth, targeted goals
GO FURTHER
- Efficiency: Search for appliances that have low-flow, low-flush water settings such as faucets, toilets, washing machines, dishwashers, showerheads, etc.
- Consume: Purchase food products with a small water footprint, or opt for alternatives that have the lowest water footprint of the varieties available
- Capture: Install a rain barrel for watering your lawn and garden
General sustainability resources
If you’re interested in exploring any of these topics further, we’ve curated a list of blogs, books, podcasts, and more to help you get started. We’ll continue to add to this list over time.
Do you have a resource to recommend that you don’t see on this list? Email it to us at sustainability@uwaterloo.ca and we can include it!
At the University of Waterloo
- @enjoyyourfoodrd – University of Waterloo’s Registered Dietitian, Nicole Pin, shares affordable recipes, sustainable food choices and more
- @sdgimpactalliance – the Sustainable Development Goals Student Hub, located right at the university of Waterloo
- @ucgreenhouse – learn about GreenHouse, the on-campus incubator that supports students in developing social and environmental innovations
- @uwecologylab – education about ecological restoration and nature with free virtual events
- @uwenergynetwork - learn about and participate in discussions on renewable energy with fellow students
- @uwraise - a student-run group on Racial Advocacy for Inclusion, Solidarity and Equity
- @wisc_uw – the Waterloo Indigenous Student Centre that supports Indigenous students at Waterloo
- @wusasustainability – the main platform for WUSA’s sustainability initiatives on campus
In the community
- @communityfridgekw – a free, accessible community fridge in KW that reduces food waste, makes food available to those in need, and fosters community connections
- @cleartheair.ca – accessible sustainable living from a student perspective
- @intersectionalenvironmentalist – approaching sustainability from a holistic, inclusive perspective
- @mverte.ig – a local microgreen business teaching you about the benefits of microgreens and how to grow them
- @plantiful_kw – plant-based eating tips, product and restaurant reviews in the KW area
- @plantbasedrelationship product and restaurant reviews in KW, plus tips for eating plant-based in a relationship (also applicable to roommates, friends and family)
- @shakeuptheestab – youth-led nonprofit promoting climate justice & political action in what is currently Canada
- @sustainablemarket.ca – a KW-based online farmers market with local pickup
- @thestarfishca – celebrating the efforts of Canadian youth to protect the environment
Jobs, volunteering, clubs and societies
Job boards:
- Canada Summer Jobs
- EcoCanada
- GoodWork
- The Working Centre Youth Job Connection
- Youth Job Bank – Government of Canada
All University of Waterloo students (including non-Co-op students) can access WaterlooWorks employment opportunities in the “Other Jobs” tab on your dashboard.
Volunteering resources:
- Climate Action Waterloo Region
- Food System Roundtable of Waterloo Region
- rare Charitable Reserve
- Reep Green Solutions
- Sustainable Waterloo Region
- Sustainable Youth Canada
- Sustainable Development Solutions Network (SDSN) Youth
For more organizations, including those in the Waterloo-Wellington corridor, visit the ecoKW Directory.
University of Waterloo clubs and organizations
- Visit our student groups web page to explore the different clubs and programs available on campus.
- Check out the new WUSA Sustainability Project (WSP) Sustainability Directory
Did we miss anything?
Send us an email to sustainability@uwaterloo.ca and let us know what topics, resources or businesses we missed that you would like to see included in this guide!