On July 25th, members from the ESRC headed to the beautiful and historic Oak Hall in Niagara Falls for a focus group with key representatives from the Niagara Parks Commission. This productive meeting focused on developing our shared vision for environmental stewardship going forward. The development of this vision is one of the many expected outputs of the exciting new Excellence in Environmental Stewardship partnership between the ESRC and Niagara Parks.
Photo Credit: Brooke Kapeller
Photo: Dr. Jessica Blythe, Assistant Professor, Environmental Sustainability Research Centre
Dr. Jessica Blythe holds a B.Sc. in Biology from Memorial University, a M.A. in Geography from York University, and Ph.D. in Geography from the University of Victoria. Following the completion of her PhD, she was a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at WorldFish and the ARC Centre of Excellence for Coral Reed Studies at James Cook University.
Dr. Blythe joins the ESRC as an Assistant Professor after leaving her SSHRC Postdoctoral Fellow role in the School of Environment, Resources and Sustainability at the University of Waterloo. Dr. Blythe is an environmental social scientist with expertise in resilience and sustainability science. Broadly, her research aims to understand how communities perceive and respond to social-ecological change (including climate change), and their differential capacities for adaptation and transformation. Her empirical work has taken place with communities in Australia, Canada, Malawi, Mozambique, and Solomon Islands. Findings from her research have appeared in a wide diversity of journals, such as Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, Sustainability Science and Regional Environmental Change. She is recipient of the Andy Farquharson Award for Teaching Excellence form the University of Victoria as well as the Three Minute Thesis Early Career Research winner at the ARC Centre for Coral Reef Studies.
“We welcome an exceptional scholar to the ESRC and Brock University” said Dr. Ryan Plummer, Director of the Environmental Sustainably Research Centre. “Jessica will make an indelible mark on the field of sustainability science and catalyze the trajectory of the ESRC as an international Centre of excellence”.
Blog Contributor: Zach MacMillan
It is interesting to reflect on my first few weeks working for the Town of Lincoln having now recently passed the halfway point in my co-op position. As someone who has traditionally held customer service type roles in the past, being able to work on sustainability issues in Town Hall was a welcomed change that has since provided limitless learning opportunities and connects perfectly with what we study in the SSAS program.
Despite my limited experience working in an office setting I was able to have a smooth and successful transition due to the constant support from my supervisor Carrie Beatty who values the unique perspectives of the SSAS students. To ensure that both my co-worker Ben and I were able to get a holistic understanding of the Town of Lincoln, Carrie began our first day by giving us a complete tour of the Town. Growing up in St. Catharines I thought I had a fairly good idea of the Town’s geographical reach as well as its history, although after beginning our tour I realized that was not the case. Carrie had such a wealth of information to share about the Town, from historical facts to the what types of tender fruit trees grew where, demonstrating the uniqueness of the Town which sets it apart from other municipalities of Niagara. This was something I was unable to appreciate before working for the Town. The tour continued once we returned to the office and it was incredibly interesting to see how many individual departments work together to make the Town run smoothly. A Municipality is a complex organization requiring many moving parts to operate successful, although much of this work goes unseen and underappreciated having this understanding has helped me connect with the Town.
Equipped with a newly developed understanding of the Town, Ben and I have since settled into our work stations located in what has been affectionally named “the fort”. It has been here where we have been working on both our main Brock-Lincoln Living Lab project as well as providing support to other ongoing projects around the office. Currently, our primary project involves developing an environmental and sustainability needs assessment for the Town using the Official Plan, while additional projects include supporting Economic Development and the Town’s Transportation pilot uLinc. This summer has been an exciting learning opportunity and I am excited to see where it leads.
Blog Contributor: Shanen D’Souza
Want to take a break from a busy day and enjoy your lunch break with some live music, great weather and a chance to buy some fresh produce? The Brock Farmers’ Market at Jubilee Court is the perfect spot to do that!
Every summer, Brock holds a Farmers’ Market from 11:30 am to 1:30 pm every Thursday in Jubilee Court. There are stalls set up by vendors selling fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and handcrafted items. Barbeque lunches can be purchased fresh off the grill, while live music is played at the court. To put it all off, outdoor games such as ladder ball and bag toss are set up to get in some post-lunch fun. Vendors and stalls differ every week, so all attendees have a different experience every Thursday.
The Farmers’ Market is a great way to build and grow community at Brock. Students, faculty and staff are welcome to enjoy the summer weather at Jubilee Court, while supporting local farmers and businesses. Brock prides itself in buying local whenever possible, especially for raw materials required for the cafeterias around campus. The Farmers’ Market is an added opportunity for the Brock body to help with this cause, while enjoying lunch in the sun!
Directions to Jubilee Court can be found using Brock’s interactive map.
Blog Contributor: Shelby McFadden
Sitting in the basement of Mackenzie Chown’s G-Block, I scribbled like crazy, trying to document all of the current initiatives and associated numbers for waste collection here on campus. Sitting next to me was Kevin Lawr, supervisor of the day-to-day operations of the Central Shipping/Receiving, Maintenance Stores, and Mail Services departments.
Though initially confusing to find the office tucked away in the belly of Mackenzie Chown, the meeting was extremely interesting and enlightening, and I ended up walking away with a hopeful feeling.
The fact is that there are already a lot of great opportunities for recycling and diverting waste on campus, managed by a skilled team of staff and faculty who are enthusiastic about sustainability at Brock.
But there is still a lot of room to increase our usage of these programs, and it begins by becoming aware of existing opportunities, and spreading the word on to our friends, roommates, and fellow Badgers.
Batteries, ink cartridges, cell phones, and other electronics are all collected and recycled at Brock, helping to reduce waste and keep dangerous toxins out of our landfill.
In 2017, Brock recycled approximately 4800 pounds of used batteries! Many departments already have pails, but if you are looking to order a pail for your department, make sure to contact Kevin at klawr@brocku.ca
Students can also participate by accessing a pail in the nearest department or the North and South Service desks in Decew and the Lowenberger lobby.
Another opportunity for recycling is with ink cartridges, of which an estimated 500 pounds were recycled last year.
Faculty and staff can place their cartridges in a box labelled “used cartridge,” and send it to Central Shipping and Receiving through interoffice mail. Students can make use of the pail on the help desk in Computer Commons or in the Campus Store.
No discussion on recycling programs would be complete without addressing electronics, as they play an increasingly large role in our lives.
An overwhelming number of items are accepted, from cell phones, tablets, laptops, computer cables and monitors, routers, cameras, speakers, gaming consoles, fans, power tools, etc. Make sure to check Sustainability at Brock’s website to view the list of all accepted items.
Departments can fill out the following form to send to klawr@brocku.ca, before contacting custodial services to pick up the desired item(s). At this time, there are no collection points for e-waste, but students are encouraged to bring their items down to Central Shipping and Receiving (MC G207). It’s a little bit confusing to find at first, but let’s face it—as students, sometimes we need a mini adventure and excuse to wander around.
To make it easier, if it’s a cell phone you’re looking to recycle, they can be dropped off at the ITS desk.
There’s definitely room for improvements in waste management at Brock, but we have to start somewhere, and it’s important to support the existing programs that are already working to do good work. By taking an extra few minutes out of our day, we can demonstrate our commitment to waste reduction, and do a little bit of good.
To do a lot of good, share this with other Brock students, staff, and faculty, so we can all do our part!
Look forward to a future blog article on food waste initiatives at Brock!
Blog Contributor: Angela Mallette
Last week, myself and some fellow SSAS students that are still in the area for their co-ops/research, headed to the Niagara Glen Nature Reserve for a hike. My thesis research will be taking place in the Niagara Glen this coming summer, and we had met to go on a hike through a part of the Glen I hadn’t been to yet. Our hike had a productive purpose as well – I needed people to pilot my survey after hiking the trails. It was late in the afternoon, so the Glen wasn’t overly busy. We made our way down Eddy trail and then to Whirlpool trail, along the water and then up the Whirlpool staircase.
The Niagara Glen is a hidden gem of the Niagara area. Despite living in the GTA my whole life, and visiting Niagara Falls almost annually, I had never even heard of it until this past year. The section of the river that runs along the Glen has bright turquoise-blue waters and intense rapids that are classified as class V rapids on a scale of 1-6. The whirlpool just upriver is class VI. Aside from the amazing sights of the river, I was also very excited to learn about the geology of the Glen (if you like fossils, potholes, or rocks in general, definitely go and check it out). Or, if you prefer plants, the Glen has hundreds of species, some of them rare or even unique to the Glen. If you prefer history, aside from evidence of a fascinating geological history, there is also a century old cobblestone path built when a railway used to run along the river about 100 years ago.
The Glen is a site that is so unique geologically, ecologically, and historically. As I learn more about it, I’ve come to realize the significance of this site for my research. It is a significant and sensitive ecosystem but is also subject to hundreds of thousands of visitors every year. It is a perfect case study for sustainable ecotourism and its challenges. I am looking forward to beginning my research in the upcoming weeks and spending more time at the Glen. Thanks to Ben, Zach, Brooke, and Branden for coming out for an awesome hike and to pilot my survey!
Blog Contributor: Kaitlin James
Did you know that Brock is located in the Niagara Escarpment UNESCO Biosphere Reserve?
UNESCO Biosphere Reserves are ecosystems worldwide that have been recognized by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization) as important, and are communities committed to conservation, education, and sustainable development among other things (Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve, n.d). Brock University falls within the Niagara Escarpment Biosphere reserve which stretches over 725 km, one of the 18 found within Canada (UNESCO, 2015).
Within the beautiful Niagara escarpment that surrounds Brock, is the Bruce Trail, which is the longest and oldest hiking trail in Canada. There are so many different trails, short and long, that surround main campus. Perfect for a break between classes or lunch!
I personally walk the trail that connects to the bottom of Lockhart Drive, right by the Brock University Research and Innovation Centre, which brings you right outside of Market! Just a quick 10-minute hike up the hill to class. What a great way to see some wildlife and get some fresh air!
There are many access points to the Bruce Trail from the top of the escarpment! To find out more about the Bruce Trail, and the many access points found across campus, click the link below!
References:
Georgian Bay Biosphere Reserve. (n.d) UNESCO Biospheres. Retrieved from https://www.gbbr.ca/about-us/unesco-biospheres/
UNESCO. (2015). Niagara Escarpment. Retrieved from http://www.unesco.org/new/en/natural-sciences/environment/ecological-sciences/biosphere-reserves/europe-north-america/canada/niagara-escarpment/
Blog Contributor: Brooke Kapeller
Last week, myself and another grad student, Angela, travelled to the University of Waterloo to help out with the Ontario high school Envirothon put on by Forests Ontario, and sponsored in part by Brock. These students had already been at Waterloo for two days, participating in a variety of activities, classes, and tests designed to further their knowledge of the environment. The portion of the Envirothon that Angela and I were volunteering for was judging their presentations. This was the final activity of the Envirothon; the students were divided into their class groups of 5 students each and were all given the same scenario. They were then given a few hours to prepare a presentation using only the materials given to them (no electronics) and presented their ideas to a panel of judges.
I read through the scenario that was given to these students the night before their presentations. They were to act as consultants for a mid-sized Ontario city. The city’s goal was to reduce their emissions of CO2 equivalents 80% by 2050, aligned with the provincial goal. The students were to come up with two feasible actions that could be taken by this city to help attain this goal. In addition to addressing the issue, they also had to relate their ideas to the four core topics of the Envirothon: forestry, soils, aquatics, and wildlife. Reading through this scenario, I was completely astounded by the degree of complexity and depth of thought that would be required by these students to successfully develop a solution. I thought back to myself as a high school student, and how much I would struggle with this… I don’t even recall learning about climate change when I was in high school!
I sat on a panel of judges with three other people who ranged from retired professors to sustainability professionals. We judged a total of three student presentations, and I must say, I was incredibly impressed with all of them! After reading the scenario the day before, I was skeptical at first of how in-depth the solutions would be that they came up with, but these students did great. Some of the ideas that I heard were to develop a municipal points system that would encourage citizens to collect points for using a bikeshare program, shopping at local farmers markets, or participating in other activities that would reduce emissions. Another idea was to develop a scholarship system to encourage university students in the city to develop innovative technologies to reduce emissions and research other possible opportunities. Another team planned to develop a survey that they would distribute to members of the community to further understand community opinions. Other ideas included a program to work with farmers in the area to lower their emissions while also benefitting economically, increasing forest corridors and green infrastructure, and establishing bylaws and mandates for large companies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.
The ideas for solutions to reducing emissions that these students came up with were amazing. I was genuinely impressed with the depth of thought and evidence of knowledge that these students had on a range of environmental issues. Volunteering as a judge for this event made me so optimistic about what these students will accomplish in their future.
Blog Contributor: Shanen D’Souza
Photo: Engine room at the Central Utilities Building, Brock University
Facilities Management (FM) is the department responsible for all activities related to the maintenance, operations and development of Brock’s facilities and grounds. The department is heavily focused on sustainable development and the functioning of the campus. FM is always looking to reduce its impact on the environment and community around us. The recent grant of $75,000 awarded to Brock by the Ontario government to install 10 new electric vehicle charging stations is a testament to FM’s continued work towards Brock becoming a more sustainable campus.
In the past year, the efforts of Facilities Management have reduced the energy consumption of the university as well as its greenhouse gas emissions. These efforts have also created thousands of dollars of yearly savings for the university. Installing new Variable Frequency Drives to two return fans in the Schmon Tower has led to over $86,000 in savings and 456,000 kWh in energy saved! These frequency drives coupled with a new high efficiency motor reduce the energy consumption of the Tower, the most used building on campus. Even a simple change in the LED lighting in both the 1st and 5th floors of the Tower have resulted in annual savings of over $3,000 and 17,000 kWh in energy.
Another notable initiative by FM was the recommissioning of the Chiller in the Plaza building. A chiller is a machine that is used to cool the various buildings on campus. By using the Central Cooling Loop on campus instead, FM was able to shut down the Plaza chiller, as the Central Loop provided the necessary cooling on its own using innovative engineering methods. This has resulted in over $82,000 in annual savings and 435,000 kWh saved of energy. Subsequently, recommissioning the electric boilers in Decew Residence is now saving the university $140,000 annually and reducing energy consumption by 75,000 kWh!
These proactive projects, along with several others in the last year, have cumulatively saved 1,750,000 kWh of energy and $332,000 on an annual basis! As the Facilities Management department leads Brock’s structural initiatives towards sustainability, the campus as a whole, can reduce its environmental impact and continue to be a good social citizen in the community.
Blog Contributor: Lydia Collas
Photo: SSAS Student Presentations in SSAS 5P03 (from left to right) Salima Medouar, Leaya Amey, Zach MacMillan, Ben House, Yuka Kataoka, Quratulain Shahzad, and Sylvia Hussein
Earlier this year, three Master of Sustainability students got a taste for project management providing a consultancy-type service to Facilities Management at Brock University. Project Manager, Leaya Amey, and her two teammates Sylvia Hussein and Qurat Shahzad, were tasked with carrying out a needs assessment of sustainability initiatives at Brock. The team spent a semester compiling an inventory of current sustainability initiatives whilst identifying areas for improvement. Based on best practices at other universities, the students provided guidance on how best to design initiatives to fill these gaps. In this blog post, Qurat shares how the project transpired and what the group learnt from the experience. Instalment
1. Qurat, this sounds like quite a large project – how did you go about achieving your goals?
During the first phase of the project, we held several meetings with our main clients Amanda Smits (ESRC) and Scott Jhonstone (Facilities Management), which were moderated by our Project Co-ordinator Bradley May. This allowed us to understand the needs of the clients and clarified any doubts that we had as a team going forward in the project. The second phase was research intensive and focused on compiling the inventory and identifying any gaps where Brock could be doing more. The third phase included coming up with key recommendations for Brock University; our action plan included targets which can be used to track Brock’s progress with their sustainability endeavors in the coming years. The final phase was to complete a project report and present our findings to our clients.
2. This must be one of your first experiences of this sort of work – what did you learn about project management?
This experience allowed us to understand the dynamics within a team project and what project management looks like in the real world. Often, it’s more about getting everyone on the same page and communicating the ideas clearly to avoid misunderstandings. We applied what we’d learnt in class out in the real world which saw us improve several key skills such as professional presentations, handling clients, communication skills, team work and time management. This made the course a really beneficial part of the Sustainability Science & Society (SSAS) Program. While all the other courses are mostly theoretical and research based, this course provided us with an opportunity to experience practical work and also showcase a possible career path in the future.
3. What impact do you think your work will have?
Our project is being used as the foundational work to be built on by two co-op positions, Special Project Assistant-Sustainability and Communications Assistant, in the ESRC this summer. These co-op students will work with the ESRC to continue this project in an effort to promote and enhance sustainability on campus.
4. Is there a moment that stands out as a highlight of this experience?
Scott was kind enough to take us on a tour of the Central Utilities Building which showed the inner workings of the Facilities Management Department and how they are working to incorporate sustainability into their daily operations. The highlight of the tour was getting to see the generators that produce enough electricity to make Brock energy independent and able to work off the grid.
Many congratulations to the two groups of SSAS students that completed the Projects Course – you can read about the experience of the other group who worked with the Town of Lincoln here.
