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  • Nuclear Power in Ontario

    Tuesday, August 22, 2023 | By

    Nuclear power > Darlington Nuclear Generating Station - OPG

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam

    Nuclear power is the electricity generated by nuclear reactions such as nuclear fission, nuclear fusion, or nuclear decay. The most commonly used process for generating nuclear power is nuclear fission, typically of uranium or plutonium atoms. Although nuclear fusion produces a much higher energy yield, it is a very volatile and challenging process in comparison (World Nuclear Association). 

    Nuclear energy currently accounts for over half of Ontario’s electricity and 15 per cent of Canada’s electricity (World Nuclear Association). There are currently three operational nuclear power plants in Ontario: 

    • Bruce Nuclear Generating Station 
    • Pickering Nuclear Generating Station 
    • Darlington Nuclear Generating Station 

    Unlike fossil fuel combustion, nuclear power doesn’t produce any greenhouse gases during generation. Producing similar emissions levels as renewable energy sources such as solar and wind, nuclear is widely considered an environmentally friendly form of energy. Nuclear power is also not dependent on the weather or on large amounts of land in comparison to solar or wind energy. This makes it a reliable and consistent energy source for both urban and remote areas. Additionally, nuclear power plants are cheaper to operate than the average fossil fuel plant, though they tend to have high initial costs to build (World Nuclear Association). 

    While there are many advantages of nuclear power, it is not without its challenges. Nuclear power generates significant amounts of radioactive material as waste for which there is no long-term management solution other than deep geological storage (World Nuclear Association). Following the major nuclear meltdowns in Chernobyl and Fukushima in the past, some also worry about the potential for another catastrophe to occur. However, there are extremely robust and strict standards and regulations in place for nuclear power plants to prevent future accidents from occurring. 

  • Sustainability in Brock’s Dining Services

    Wednesday, August 16, 2023 | By

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam

    Did you know that about 25 per cent of the food served by Dining Services is locally sourced? These foods come from Canadian sites that are within 200km from the university. Brock’s Dining Services has many different sustainability initiatives in place including plant-forward meals and “cool foods”.   

    A dietary labelling program with special menu icons is also used to provide additional information regarding dietary restrictions. This includes identifying any foods that are vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free, dairy- free, halal, or plant-forward.   

    Cool Food Meals are World Resource Institute (WRI) certified meals that meet an established per-meal GHG emissions threshold. The university has been serving Cool Food Meals since September 2022, with approximately 15 per cent of the current menu being Cool Foods certified.  

    Learn more about Brock’s Dining Services and its sustainability initiatives through the links below: 

     

    https://brocku.ca/dining-services/dietary-labelling-program/  

    https://brocku.ca/dining-services/sustainable-sourcing/  

  • Students logged sustainable actions to showcase environmental commitment leading to Earth Day!

    Monday, May 08, 2023 | By

    By: Sanjida Amin

    From April 17 to 21, 2023, Brock University hosted another Sustainability Challenge to encourage engagement in environmental action for Earth Day. Earth Day was first celebrated on April 22, 1970, and it is considered as the beginning of the environmental movement. Over the years, Earth Day has become one of the world’s greatest environmental participatory movement on the planet. The day is now regarded as a global initiative to promote the protection and care of our planet.

    To celebrate earth Day, Brock students took part in a Sustainability Challenge by showcasing daily sustainable actions. Brock University partnered with Blackstone Energy Services with the hope to encourage students to contribute to a sustainable campus and incorporate sustainable solutions in their daily lives through innovative and engaging software. Students used the Blackstone Energy EcoBoss app to log daily sustainable actions, such as using a reusable water bottle and carpooling, over the course of five days. The rules were simple: students were required to join challenge through registration once the app was downloaded and log all sustainable actions made throughout those five days on the EcoBoss app to accumulate points. Those with the highest scores at the end of the challenge won the following prizes:

    1st place prize: Niagara Parks Experience Vouchers, sponsored by The Niagara Parks Commission.

    2nd place prize: CYBORIS Solar Bluetooth Speaker.

    3rd place prize: Solar Pack Charger, sponsored by Blackstone Energy.

    4th, 5th & 6th place prizes: Sustainable lunch bag with a 16oz Hydro Flask and a wheat straw food storage container, sponsored by the Campus Store, the ESRC, and Blackstone Energy.

    7th to 10th place prizes: Seed planting kit with potting soil and seeds from the Brock University Seed Library.

    Popular actions which were tracked using the app included using reusable water bottles, turning off lights, turning off water while brushing teeth, taking shorter showers, saving energy, eating leftovers, recycling, using public transportation, composting, air drying dishes, buying local, and so much more. Students from a range of academic fields and programmes-including business, education, science, and the arts-took part in the competition and engaged enthusiastically throughout the duration. Through the app, we were able to estimate CO2 savings, waste diversion, and water savings from logged actions. Total estimations include the following:

    • 2,027kg in CO2 savings
    • 114kg in waste diverted
    • 4 thousand litres in water savings

    The competition aimed to include Brock University’s student community in sustainability initiatives at campus and show how simple it is to incorporate sustainable practises into daily living. Moving forward, there are plans to host more sustainability challenges to motivate students to continue their environmental actions to minimize energy usage, reduce their carbon footprint, and contribute to the health of the environment!

     

    Categories: Challenge/Contest, Student Contributor, Sustainability at Brock, Uncategorised

  • Summer Wrap Up – Sustainability Coordinator Co-Op

    Tuesday, October 06, 2020 | By

    Blog Contributor: Elenore Breslow

    There is a long list of reasons why summer 2020 was unlike any other. The pandemic surely impacted everyone’s lives in different ways and like many of you, I spent my summer working remotely at my home ‘office’ instead of working in-person.  

    Even with the widespread shift to mainly remote work this summer, I still had an incredible opportunity to work as a Sustainability Coordinator co-op student from my home over 4 hours away from St. Catharines. And yes, my work-from-home setup on most days did include the traditional attire of a dress shirt, sweatpants, and no shoes. Enough about my wardrobe though…  

    The Sustainability Coordinator position was made available through the Brock University Charter Agreement with Facilities Management and the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre. Through the Charter Agreement I worked for two exceedingly knowledgeable supervisors – Mary Quintana, Director, Asset Management & Utilities for Facilities Management and Amanda Smits, Centre Administrator for the Environmental Sustainability Research Centre. 

    The pandemic may have impacted where I completed my work this summer, but the actual work I did would have been the same regardless of location. And I was fortunate enough to visit the campus at the end of the co-op term to meet everyone (in-person) on the Brock team that I worked with throughout the summer –  check out my video below from my visit, ‘Day in the Life as a Sustainability Coordinator’.  

    The overall goal of the summer was to increase our knowledge of sustainability at Brock and determine baseline numbers in areas such as, GHG emissions, water use, and waste. Our team wanted to determine where does Brock do well in terms of sustainability and where are areas of improvement. To do this, we began by working on the completion of Brock’s first Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS). This was a comprehensive process that involved coordination with several different internal and external stakeholders to collect data and information regarding the 4 main categories of STARS – academics, engagement, operations, and planning & administration. The key aspect about STARS is that it is a holistic approach to measuring sustainability on campus, and then decision makers can use that information to generate new ideas in terms of strategic planning and engaging the community. Making real progress towards sustainability can be a difficult task but starting by measuring all sustainability performance on campus is a great place to start.  

    Throughout the summer I also had the opportunity to help with many other sustainability related projects including being involved more on the operations and project management side of things. I helped with projects that examined ways to adapt current infrastructure to be more sustainable and I learned about how sustainability is incorporated into current operational practices, including the District Energy System. As many of you know, Brock recently celebrated the completion of Brock’s District Energy Efficiency Project (DEEP). It is through innovative projects like DEEP that Brock continues to demonstrate its commitment to environmental sustainability, with the hopes of continuing to be leaders amongst universities in reducing carbon emissions.  

    I am excited to continue my journey with the Brock team until 2021 and I am eager to part of the new initiatives and projects that are beginning this fall. Keep a lookout on Sustainability at Brock’s social media accounts (@BUsustainable) to stay up to date with all things sustainability here at Brock! 

    Categories: Student Contributor, Sustainability, Sustainability at Brock, Uncategorised

  • Why We Should Upcycle Before We Recycle

    Thursday, April 02, 2020 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper 

    In a world full of disposable materials and extreme global waste, it can be difficult to lead a sustainable lifestyle. If you are overwhelmed with the amount of waste created in your household even after making more sustainable changes, upcycling may be a good solution. Upcycling is a term first introduced by William McDonough and Michael Braungart in their book called “Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things”. It is defined as type of recycling that transforms the waste materials into items of higher quality or value in relation to the original item. This type of “homemade” recycling is popular for those wishing to reduce their waste because it is a process that allows them to reuse things that they would discard and send to landfills.  

    Ultimately, upcycling is a way to reduce and slow down the amount of waste that ends up in landfills and waste management facilities to ease the impact on our planet and waste systems as much as possible. Some examples of upcycling include decorating a tin container (like one that holds chickpeas) to create a nice pot for a plant or using old hockey sticks as legs for chairs.  There are simple and more complex ways to upcycle but reusing otherwise disposable materials can be done with ease when using a bit of creativity! This article aims to give you answers to the common question ‘Why should I take the time to upcycle?’.   

    For the Planet 

    The first reason to upcycle is the most talked about reason: to contribute to reducing waste in landfills, oceans, parks, and waste management facilities. Not only does excessive waste in the environment harm local plant and animal species, some materials breakdown and release harmful chemicals which then causes soil degradation and seeps into the water that people and species drink. You can learn more about this topic by visiting the UN’s Environment Programme news story here. Additionally, upcycling limits trips to the store and decreases consumption behaviours as the ultimate goal is to make new items with what you have, which consequently reduces emissions and overall waste.  

    To Save Money 

    Since upcycling entails creating something new from an old object, you will be able to save money by repurposing items instead of buying new ones. For example, instead of purchasing an entryway organizer that can hold keys, coats and displays chalk messages, you can repurpose a window frame or old pieces of wood to create your own organizer. All you’ll need is a fresh coat of paint and some hooks! A simpler upcycling project would be to take an old mirror, clean it and paint it if desired, then use it as a chic candle tray to impress your guests. Another great idea is to use an empty tissue box as desk organizers by cutting the top off and using empty toilet paper rolls as pencil, pen, and scissor holders. By upcycling these common household items, you can save some money while impressing yourself with your creations! Check out this website for more great upcycling ideas.  

    To Practice Creativity

    As you’ve probably realized by now, upcycling projects require some creativity and innovation. Interestingly, creativity is a skill that is valued in school and in the workplace because it allows students and employees alike to think of newer and better ways to reach certain goals. This LinkedIn Learning article describes creativity as the “most important skill in the world” because possessing this skill allows us to be better problem solvers in an everchanging world. More and more, companies and higher education institutes are looking for people who can adapt, think on their feet and keep thinking of new solutions as artificial intelligence takes over process-driven jobs. Therefore, upcycling is a great outlet to spark your creativity and continue to work on it as you ask yourself “what can I create from this object that I would otherwise throw out?”. It’s a great exercise that allows you to pain, sew, glue, cut, and colour as much as you want and it provides you with a sense of pride since you are the artist behind your new item! 

    Hopefully this introduction to upcycling gave you an idea of what upcycling is, what some examples are, and what are three main reasons to upcycle. There are many benefits of upcycling, although helping the planet through reducing emissions and slowing down the waste production in our landfills is a leading reason behind why so many people love to upcycle. Make sure to check out the resources linked above to learn more about upcycling, examples of upcycling, and the importance of creativity. Happy crafting!  

     

    Categories: Recycling, Student Contributor, Sustainability, Uncategorised

  • 4 Ways to Reduce Textile Waste

    Thursday, February 20, 2020 | By

    Blog Contributor: Erica Harper

    The textile industry is infamous for being wasteful around the globe as clothing consumption grows at an astronomical rate. In fact, Fashion Takes Action, a non-profit organization working to advance sustainability in the fashion industry, reported that people are purchasing “60% more clothing than they did 20 years ago”. Additionally, every year, over “100 billion garments are created around the world”, which cause an overwhelming amount of waste in our landfills. This is largely due to an incredible consumer demand for fast and inexpensive fashion that are usually of very low quality. Unfortunately, this leads the average North American to contribute an average of 81 pounds of textiles to landfills every year. When clothing ends up in landfills, their synthetic fibers, similarly to plastic, do not biodegrade and release greenhouse gases while filling up valuable space in landfills. Unsurprisingly, this contributes negatively to climate change and the warming of our planet.  

    That being said, there are many actions we can take to repurpose our clothing and various textiles to ensure that they do not directly end up in landfills. Here are 5 ideas of things you can do to reduce your textile waste:  

    Donate your clothes 

    The most well-known way of reducing your clothing waste is to donate your clothing to organizations that will re-sell them in thrift stores or to various buyers interested in the material of certain textiles. Although many of us have heard of Goodwill, the Salvation Army and Value Village, there are other organizations to consider. For example, Recycling Rewards is a Canadian company that works to divert textile waste from landfills and partners with government associations, property managers and real estate companies to place donation bins around Ontario. They have a partnership with Talize Thrift Store, which is a National Thrift Retail Chain, who has agreed to purchase all the clothing collected by Recycling Rewards and its partners. We’ve reached out to Talize and they confirmed that whatever they cannot sell in their 11 thrift stores is “sent to companies for upholstery stuffing and rags, ensuring nothing ends up in landfills”. To be transparent, they also mentioned that they sell unsold clothing overseas but did not confirm where it ends up. By selling their textiles, they have raised over $400,000 for charities such as The Children’s Wish Foundation. If you’re interested in donating or to learn more about their work, visit their website by clicking here.  

    Upcycle your clothing 

    UpcycleThat defines upcycling as “the act of something no longer in use and giving it a second life and new function”. It’s called ‘upcycling’ because the finished product is often more functional or beautiful than the original item. Transforming your clothing into something else can provide a nice feeling of accomplishment as you’re able to give your old garments a second chance. This is also a great opportunity to get creative, innovative and crafty as you brainstorm different ways to repurpose your clothes instead of disposing of them. You can upcycle old clothing into the following, which was inspired by Good On You, a sustainability blog: 

    • Makeup remover pads (from cotton shirts) 
    • Garment bags 
    • Reusable produce or shopping bags 
    • Pillowcases
    • Headbands (from stretchy material)
    • Reusable rags for cleaning 

    Repair (or have someone repair) your clothing 

    Whether your clothes have holes in them, have lost a button or are looking a little tired, there are many “do-it-yourself” (DIY) videos on the Internet that will help you repair your clothing. Sewing kits are (for the most part) pretty affordable and are perfect for restoring your clothes back to being good as new. If you’re looking to make larger repairs such as hemming to make your clothes fit more comfortably, you can invest in a sewing machine. Thankfully, the Ontario Textile Diversion Collaborative has created videos on how to repair various clothing articles such as replacing a drawstring, repairing a torn seam and patching a hole, to name a few. Click here to check them out! If DIY isn’t your thing, head over to your local dry cleaner and they’ll be happy to make repairs for you.  

    Resell your clothes to consignment stores

    Selling your clothes to consignment stores is a great way to earn some extra money and feel great about giving your previously loved clothing or accessories a second life! For the most part, these types of stores are (understandably) more selective about what they accept and will either pay you on the spot or pay you once a customer purchases your items. But that also means that the quality of their goods a considerably higher than a regular donations-based thrift store, as they tend to prefer trendy brand name clothing or accessories. While you sell your items, you can look around the store for gently used brand name clothing sold at a discount to reduce the demand for new fast fashion apparel. Some great stores to sell your clothes to in the Niagara region are:  

    Now that you know more about the impacts of improper disposal of textiles and what you can do to “recycle” them, you can explore what method(s) work best for you. Enjoy donating, repairing, repurposing and selling your clothing!   

    Sources:  

    https://sharingdepot.ca/2018/06/worn-out-5-ways-to-mend-canadas-growing-textile-waste-crisis/ 

    https://otdc.co/ 

    http://textilewastediversion.com/how-to-donate/ 

    https://www.recyclingrewards.com/about 

    https://www.upcyclethat.com/about-upcycling/ 

    Categories: Clothing, Student Contributor, Sustainability, Sustainability at Brock, Uncategorised, Waste

  • Fair Trade Campus!

    Friday, June 29, 2018 | By

    Blog Contributor: Kaitlin James

    Did you know that Brock University is a Fair-Trade Campus? Brock became Canada’s sixth Fair Trade Campus in 2013 and is the second university in Ontario to be designated by Fairtrade Canada after Guelph.

    In fact, in 2015 Brock was named Fair Trade Campus of the Year.

    So, what is fair trade? Fair trade aims to create a relationship between producers and consumers that is mutually beneficial. It uses support from consumers to influence and drive business towards increased social and environmental sustainability.

    Dining Services at Brock is dedicated to building these relationships by providing fair trade products such as coffee, tea, dairy milk chocolate and Camino products in campus stores and vending machines. They also integrate sustainability into their daily operations by supporting local businesses; providing cage free eggs, buying locally, using recyclable and biodegradable packaging and provide biodegradable take-out containers.

    Every year starting at the end of May until the end of summer, Brock holds a weekly farmers’ market in Jubilee Court every Thursday. This provides students and staff with access to produce, farmers and bakeries, while supporting local vendors and economy.

    As you can see Brock provides various fair-trade products across campus!

    To find out more, check out the Brock website in the link below!

    https://brocku.ca/sustainability/initiatives/fair-trade/