Ontario university campuses shrinking their environmental footprint
McMaster's Teaching and Learning Garden was highlighted in a recent report on sustainability programs implemented at Ontario's universities.
A new report shows Ontario’s universities — including McMaster — are making significant strides toward greening their campuses.
The analysis, complied by the Council of Ontario Universities, outlines the many steps institutions are taking to decrease emissions and shrink their overall environmental footprints.
At McMaster, that includes measures such as retrofitting old lights with LEDs, installing electric car charging stations and increasing sustainability requirements in the University’s purchasing policies.
The report highlights the McMaster Automotive Resource Centre, where researchers are working to build more efficient cars, as well as the on-campus teaching and learning garden as examples of McMaster’s long-term commitment to sustainability.
McMaster will also soon welcome the Sobi bike-share program to campus. The program will give members access to bikes for cycling to, from and around the University.
You can read the full report here.
McMaster’s Office of Sustainability recently underwent reorganization and was developed into two distinct areas: campus operational sustainability initiatives and academic sustainability programs.
Campus operational sustainability initiatives include those related to energy, green space, transportation, waste, water and green buildings. They are managed by Shahid Naeem, energy management and sustainability engineering in Facility Services.
The Academic Sustainability Programs office, led by Kate Whalen, oversees the Sustainable Future Program, Sustainable Internship Program, the Graduate/Undergraduate Collaboration in Experiential Learning Program and the new minor in sustainability.
