In honour of Earth Day on Tuesday, April 22, Trent University, a leader in environmental stewardship since its inception in 1964, is recognizing and celebrating its history as a champion of environmental awareness and sustainability.

Throughout the University’s 50-year history, Trent has been challenging the way we think about environmental programs and sustainability initiatives, demonstrated through continuous investment in state-of-the-art and efficient facilities, top teaching and research expertise, the cultivation of sound working relationships with communities and partner agencies, and through its stewardship of the second-to-none natural assets of its beautiful 1400-acre Peterborough campus.

Cutting-Edge Environmental and Sustainability Programs

Trent’s environmental programs offer superb expertise and hands-on experience, preparing students for future research and careers in such wide-ranging fields as water pollution, climate change, environmental law and policy, natural resource stewardship, or sourcing renewable energy alternatives. Programs include:

• Environmental and Resource Science/Studies (ERS) – one of the first environmental programs to be launched at a Canadian university, and recently became the first programs to be officially accredited to the National Standard of Environmental Programs in Canada by ECO Canada
• B.A. / B.Sc. Sustainable Agriculture and Food Systems program
• Indigenous Environmental Studies – Trent is the only university in Canada to offer this unique program bringing together principles of both Indigenous knowledge and western science in a unique and collaborative approach to learning
• Ecological Restoration – a unique partnership with Fleming College offering students both a college diploma and university degree in four years
• Graduate programs – Environmental & Life Sciences (EnLS), an interdisciplinary M.Sc. and Ph.D. program offering research opportunities with governmental and community partners; Sustainability Studies, an M.A. program that improves students’ understanding of environmental sustainability, economic prosperity, and social responsibility.

Renowned Environmental Researchers & Global Experts

Research excellence at Trent helps to solve complex problems and contribute to high-calibre, peer-reviewed research across a diverse range of fields. Trent’s faculty include many leading-edge researchers, including several Canada Research Chairs in environmental fields:

• Dr. Julian Aherne, CRC in Environmental Modelling, is working to improve understanding of what pollutants will do in the future;
• Dr. Céline Guéguen, CRC in Aquatic Sciences and Biogeochemistry, is researching how growing concentrations of water-borne pollutants, especially those from melting permafrost, will affect plants and animals in the Canadian Arctic;
• Dr. Dennis Murray, CRC in Integrative Wildlife Conservation, is researching the causes and consequences of declines in animal populations, range loss, and extinction;
• Dr. Mehdi Sharifi, CRC in Sustainable Agriculture, is working on sustainable practices to improve productivity, enhance quality of products and reduce environmental impacts.

Student Engagement

Committed to environmental sustainability, Trent University equips students with the diverse knowledge they need to take leadership roles in shaping their own learning experiences. Some recent student initiatives in the area of the environment include:

• The Truth About Earth Worms: Brad Jennings, a Masters student in the Environmental and Life Sciences graduate program, created a video for a “Communicating Science” course that shares the potential impacts invasive earthworms may have on temperate forest soil carbon dynamics. Watch the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBZYngnibwU
• Climate Change in My Backyard: Trent graduate students partnered with the Ontario Climate Consortium to host a public town hall meeting featuring a panel of experts, aiming to bring key information about climate change to the community.

Sustainable Facilities

• Trent Water Quality Centre (WQC) – a state-of-the art mass spectrometry facility offering specialized analytical services and training courses to researchers, government agencies and private companies. Researchers at the WQC have been successful in winning nine major Canada Foundation for Innovation awards.
• Trent Centre for Materials Research – brings together Trent faculty with research interests in Chemistry and Physics to foster an improved understanding of the properties of materials of potential benefit to industry, and the training of highly qualified personnel in these areas
• DNA Building – a centre of academic excellence dedicated to interdisciplinary teaching and research, especially in the discipline of DNA Forensics
• Sustainability Office – In response to the growing concern for the health of our environment, Trent established its Sustainability Office in 2007 as part of the Physical Resources department overseeing facility management. The Sustainability Office takes active measures to reduce waste, conserve energy and water and keep Trent green!
• Green Buildings – Two Trent buildings are certified with Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) standards for sustainable building design, practices and operation. The Trent Athletics Centre and the Life and Health Sciences Building include features and practices such as increased construction waste diversion, reduced site disturbance, greater energy efficiency, Forest Stewardship Council certified wood and materials with high recycled content.

Environmental Events and Green Initiatives at Trent

Below are just a few examples of how Trent champions sustainable initiatives:

• Earth Day Sunrise Ceremony: Trent’s department of Indigenous Studies will participate in a Sunrise Ceremony with members of the First Nations community to honour Earth Day, on Tuesday, April 22, 6:30 a.m. at Lakefield beach. The ceremony will offer gratitude for the Earth and all life-givers, focusing on our water and our waterways that flow to the ocean. 
• Green Convocation At water bottle-free convocation ceremonies, graduates take the green pledge of social and environmental sustainability
• Car Share: A new car share program, open to all members of the Trent community, was launched in partnership with the Trent Central Student Association (TCSA), Trent Parking & Security, Peterborough Green-Up and the City of Peterborough.
• Sustainable Business: Trent continues to divert 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), and will save between $50,000 and $75,000 in energy costs per year through Bata Library lighting and exterior lighting retrofits

For more examples of how Trent is living up to its reputation as a leader in sustainability and the environment, visit: http://www.trentu.ca/sustainabilityoffice/

Posted on Monday, April 21, 2014.