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Trent University's Commitment to Going Greener

Trent's green initiatives, programs and leadership highlighted as COU launches fourth annual Going Greener report

Trent University's Commitment to Going Greener
Trent University's Commitment to Going Greener

As the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) launches its fourth annual Going Greener report on June 11, 2013, Trent is highlighted among the list of Ontario universities committed to the environment and environmental sustainability.

According to the new report, Ontario university campuses are shrinking their environmental footprint by reducing waste and recycling, and students are driving the agenda. The report also concludes that Ontario universities have made significant progress on environmental sustainability in 2012, despite the challenges of budgetary restraints. Trent is no exception, as the University builds on an already-strong reputation as an environmental leader.

Highlights of Trent’s environmental commitment, which is showcased across cutting-edge research, academic programming, student involvement and day-to-day operations include:

Day-to-Day:

Trent University works year-round to ensure that Trent lives up to its reputation as a leader in sustainability in the day-to-day operations of all facilities on campus and in the community.

  • Four years in a row, Trent has been named a leader in the Globe and Mail University Report for Environmental Commitment category for small universities (1st in 2010, 2nd in 2011 and 1st in 2012, Grade A in 2013).
  • At water bottle-free convocation ceremonies, graduates take the Green Pledge of social and environmental responsibility to stimulate thoughts about future employers and work places (up from 30% in 2008 to 55% in 2010).
  • The Trent Community Sport & Recreation Centre was officially designated with a silver LEED rating, while the Life and Health Sciences building block D was designated with gold in 2012.
  • Trent continues to divert hundreds of tonnes of waste from landfill through composting on campus, has replaced all cleaning supplies to Green Seal or certified EcoLogo, has reduced GHG emissions by 220eCO2 tonnes (2012), reduced water use by over 30% in 2012, and will save between $50,000 and $75,000 in energy costs per year through Bata Library lighting and exterior lighting retrofits.

Academic Excellence and Students in Environmental and Sustainability Programs:

Committed to environmental sustainability, Trent University equips students with the diverse knowledge they need to take leadership roles in shaping their own learning experiences. Below are just a few examples of how Trent champions sustainable academic programs and initiatives on campus:

  • Two new academic programs have been introduced in two years in Trent’s signature area of Sustainability and the Environment: the M.A. in Sustainability Studies started in 2010 and B.A. / B.Sc. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program in 2012
  • B.Sc. Environmental and Resource Science (ERS) the first to be officially accredited to the National Standard of Environmental Programs in Canada by ECO Canada
  • Trent is the only university in Canada to offer Indigenous Environmental Studies, bringing together principles of both Indigenous knowledge and western science in a unique and collaborative approach to learning
  • Trent University’s School of Education and Professional Learning has introduced a new Eco-Mentorship Certification Program in collaboration with Camp Kawartha Outdoor Education Centre. Students can opt-in to the program voluntarily during their Bachelor of Education program to participate in a series of workshops that will provide them with expertise in educating students about the environment, along with a solid foundation on which to build sustainable practices in their future places of employment. Upon completion of the program at graduation, each participant gets an added credential as a Trent-certified eco-mentor.
  • Trent students are catalysts for change – growing, storing and preparing food right on campus in initiatives like the Seasoned Spoon café and root cellar. Students and alumni recently celebrated ten years of serving up local, organic fare at the Spoon, using produce grown right on campus in the Environmental Resource Science Rooftop Garden, working with a rapidly growing population of students in the new Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program.

Cutting-Edge Research in the Environment:

From dolphin DNA and goat genomics, protecting habitat and replacing fossil-fuel products, the latest details on Trent University research and teaching that is having a global impact are profiled in Showcase Magazine.

  • A team of researchers from Trent University, Fisheries and Oceans Canada and Environment Canada is conducting a study at the Experimental Lakes Area to understand the effect of nanosilver particles on the aquatic environment. Initial laboratory research conducted at Trent University showed that nanosilver can strongly affect aquatic organisms at the bottom of the food chain, such as bacteria, algae and zooplankton. See: Trent University Research Examines Nanomaterials in the Environment
  • Trent University’s Water Quality Centre is one of the world’s premier facilities for environmental contamination research.
  • Unique in North America, the Trent Centre for Biomaterials Research (TCBR) is on the cutting edge of research and technology, working to create a more sustainable future.
  • New collaboration with Fleming College leads to the creation of the new Canadian College and University Environmental Network (CCUEN) – an official merger of the Canadian College Environmental Network (CCEN) and the Canadian University Environmental Science Network (CUESN).

Go to COU's News Release

Posted on Tuesday, June 11, 2013.

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