Articles from:September 2026

  • Sustainability Challenge invites students to reduce, reuse and recycle

    Thursday, September 10, 2026 | By

    A hand holds an empty beverage can above a recycling bin in an indoor space. Red bench seating lines the background, with a seated person and another person walking in the distance.The sixth annual Welcome Back Sustainability Challenge, hosted in partnership with Blackstone Energy Services, will take place from Monday, Sept. 14 to Friday, Sept. 18.

    By: Kerri Stoakley

    Brock’s annual Welcome Back Sustainability Challenge takes place next week, inviting students to track their sustainable actions for the chance to win one of five prizes.

    Hosted in partnership with Blackstone Energy Services, the challenge asks new and returning students to log their sustainability actions — such as taking public transit, recycling or using a refillable water bottle — between 6 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 14 and noon on Friday, Sept. 18 to collect points.

    The five students with the highest scores at noon on Friday, Sept. 18 will be entered into a draw to win an iPad, Apple Watch SE 3, AirPods 4 with noise cancellation or one of two $50 Brock Campus Store gift cards.

    “This initiative is an opportunity to learn more about making sustainable choices, paired with a little friendly competition,” says Associate Vice-President, Facilities Management Mary Quintana. “We hope it helps students make an ongoing positive environmental impact by building sustainable habits into their daily routine.”

    Students can register to participate until Sunday, Sept. 13 using the Blackstone Energy ecoBoss app, free from the Apple App Store or Google Play.

    Once the app is downloaded, students will need to:

    • Review and accept the privacy policy.
    • Create an account using their Brock email and enter Brock’s challenge code (badgers).
    • Click the badge icon to join the Brock Welcome Back Sustainability Challenge.
    • Hit the green Join Challenge button.

    The app provides insights into the impact of each action logged and how it correlates with one or more of the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

    To date, previous challenges have led to a combined total of 408,707 kilograms of carbon dioxide savings, 21,833 kilograms of waste diverted and 6.4 million litres of water saved.

    Students with questions about the challenge can email [email protected]

  • Brock earns international recognition for climate action

    Thursday, September 10, 2026 | By

    Buildings and roads on a university campus.Brock University’s main campus.

    By: Kerri Stoakley

    Brock University’s efforts to reduce its carbon footprint and advance sustainability have been recognized in the 2026 Sustainability Campus Index for the first time.

    The University’s SPARK (sustainability, performance, adaptation, renewal and knowledge) initiative has been featured in the index’s Institutional Highlights as an example of innovative and high-impact work in the campus operations area.

    Published by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), the Sustainable Campus Index recognizes top-performing sustainable colleges and universities around the world overall and in 13 impact areas, as measured through the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment and Rating System (STARS).

    “Recognition through the Sustainability Campus Index, both as a university and for the SPARK initiative, underscores Brock’s long-standing commitment to sustainable practices and the meaningful progress being made across the institution,” says Vice-President, Administration and Services Scott Johnstone.

    A bright indoor corridor on the Brock University campus features exposed concrete beams, polished floors and glass-fronted spaces on both sides. Display cases line the left wall, while people gather and sit in lounge areas down the right side of the hallway.

    A sweeping LED lighting upgrade, part of SPARK, is cutting energy use across the campus, showing that sustainability can be bright, efficient and impactful.

    Launched in 2025, the $100-million SPARK initiative aims to position Brock as a leader in climate action. The program is projected to reduce campus greenhouse gas emissions by 83 per cent in three years, surpassing the University’s initial target of a 75 per cent reduction by 2030 compared to a 2013 baseline. The initiative will also cut energy use by 60 per cent. The initiative is also projected to reduce Brock’s deferred capital renewal by more $225 million by 2034, improving the long-term health of campus infrastructure.

    “Decarbonization and transformation involves the co-operation of our Brock community and beyond,” says Associate Vice-President of Facilities Management Mary Quintana. “Through our collective actions, great and small, we continue to make a significant impact.”

    Brock currently holds a Silver rating in the STARS program, the internationally recognized self-reporting tool that serves to engage, recognize and measure long-term sustainability goals of higher education institutions.

    The University has also been included in the Quacquarelli Symonds Sustainability Rankings for the first time in 2026. Placing at number 26 in Canada and number 606 in the world, the recognition marks a significant milestone as Brock’s first-ever participation in the influential global assessment.