Blog Posts

  • Coffee cup recycling program aims to curb campus waste

    A hand places a disposable coffee cup into a plastic bin covered in signage that identifies it as specifically for lidless coffee cups.

    By: The Brock News

    Hot tip: There’s a new home for empty coffee cups on campus.

    Instead of tossing cups in the garbage, hot beverage drinkers are encouraged to place them in new disposal units set up in convenient locations across the University.

    Made possible by generous funding provided by the Brock University Students’ Union’s green levy, the initiative supports Brock’s ongoing waste diversion efforts.

    The specialized bins are designed to make it easy to properly dispose of coffee cups. Each unit includes a central compartment for lidless, empty cups along with two side chutes — one for any remaining liquid and another for the recyclable plastic lids.

    Brock’s annual waste audits have revealed coffee cups often end up in landfills or incorrectly placed in blue bin recycling streams. While the cups cannot be diverted from landfills through conventional recycling, they can follow the same route as organic waste.

    Davidson Environmental collects the cups as part of Brock’s organic waste stream, transporting them to their contamination separator that removes inorganic waste, such as plastic linings, from the organic material.

    This process results in a nutrient-rich slurry that is then delivered to another facility, Escarpment Renewables. Through anaerobic digestion, the organic material breaks down into nutrient fertilizer, which is applied to local crops. The process also results in renewable energy, with excess natural gas produced during composition burned through a generator to produce electricity.

    Questions related to the coffee cup disposal initiative can be emailed to [email protected]

  • New waste-sorting station launches in Market Hall

    Three people are seen using a Market Eco Station to sort waste materials. The station features multiple labeled sections, including a "Rinse Station" for cleaning containers, and bins for "Organics" and "Recycle." The individuals are rinsing cups and placing items into the appropriate bins, promoting sustainable waste management practices.

    By: The Brock News

    Diners at Brock’s Market Eatery have a new way to make sustainable choices with the launch of an EcoStation that aims to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfills.

    Aligning with Brock’s broader sustainability goals, the EcoStation offers a clear and efficient way for students, faculty, staff and guests to dispose of organics, recyclable materials and garbage in the busy Market Hall dining area.

    The new initiative complements other waste and recycling programs already in place across campus. While other dining halls on campus are fully zero-waste, the EcoStation provides a solution for the unique challenges of the Market Eatery, which serves meals in take-out form rather than as an all-you-can eat dining experience.

    The EcoStation includes digital monitors with information on how to dispose of different products sold in the Market Eatery, helping users quickly identify the correct disposal option. The addition of a sink with a built-in cup rinser aims to promote even greater waste diversion by encouraging the Brock community to bring reuseable containers and cups to campus.

    “This is a significant step forward in our ongoing commitment to sustainability and waste diversion on campus, especially considering the large amounts of waste generated in dining environments,” said Director, Dining, Conference and Brock Card Malcolm Dales. “The EcoStation helps us divert materials from landfills by making it easier to dispose of waste responsibly.”

    For more information on the EcoStation and other sustainability projects on campus, please contact [email protected] or visit brocku.ca/sustainability

    Categories: Recycling, Waste

  • Brock’s sustainability efforts net second Silver STARS rating

    An aerial view of Brock University's St. Catharines campus.

    By: The Brock News

    From events promoting environmental stewardship to conservation initiatives reducing water usage, Brock continues to make sustainability a priority on campus.

    The University has been recognized for these efforts, receiving its second consecutive Silver rating in the Sustainability, Tracking, Assessment and Ranking System (STARS), which is valid for three years. The internationally recognized self-reporting tool serves to engage, recognize and measure long-term sustainability goals of higher education institutions.

    STARS is a highly collaborative program of the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education that partners with a variety organizations and stakeholders.

    The system includes five areas for institutions to report on: academics; engagement; operations; planning and administration; and innovation and leadership.

    Over the past three years, Brock made engagement a primary focus of its sustainability efforts, fostering engagement with both the campus community and the general public. As a result, the University increased its number of points in the engagement category by 32 per cent.

    Brock’s overall score increased by six per cent over its last submission in 2021.

    To share insight into its efforts, the University introduced its Energy Management System, which includes public-facing dashboards displayed at the Rankin Family Pavilion, utilities dashboards and an app enabling sustainability competitions. This system has become the benchmark for Ontario universities.

    Brock has also organized multiple sustainability initiatives on campus to engage the community, including clean-up events in 2021 and 2023 that promoted environmental stewardship amongst students.

    Other areas of improvement and notable success include:

    • A decrease in waste produced compared to Brock’s 2013 baseline year, despite an increase in staff and students.
    • Reduction in potable water use from baseline levels achieved through the installation of water bottle filling stations, low-flow fixtures, utilization of grey water for toilets and irrigation, and replacement of ice machines with units featuring open-air cooling systems that require less water.
    • An increase in the percentage of departments conducting sustainability research.
    • Introduction of new waste diversion streams for clothing, printer toners and laboratory equipment.
    • Food waste awareness events aimed to educate students and promote reduction efforts.

    “Our submission to STARS highlights Brock’s commitment to sustainability,” said Jennifer Guarasci, Interim Vice-President, Administration. “It serves as a powerful tool showcasing our priorities and efforts towards a greener future. The Silver rating is a rewarding achievement, and we are optimistic about raising our future ranks.”

    As the most widely recognized framework globally for publicly reporting comprehensive sustainability performance information at colleges and universities, STARS boasts registration from more than 1,200 institutions worldwide.

    “Both reporting to STARS and maintaining a sustainable campus involves considerable time and dedication, but motivates us to continually strive for improvement,” said Scott Johnstone, Brock’s Senior Associate Vice-President, Infrastructure and Operations.

    Mary Quintana, Director of Asset Management and Utilities, added that the “collective support and contributions from staff and students alike make this possible, yielding substantial benefits over time.”

    Brock University continues to strive towards greater sustainability across departments, facilities, student engagement, leadership and innovation. This second STARS rating builds upon a strong foundation, shaping Brock’s sustainability planning and development. It serves as a reflection on the University’s practices, complemented by annual submissions to other sustainability ranking systems, such as Times Higher Education Impact Rankings.

    “Participating in these rankings allows us to track our performance and to identify areas we need to put more work in when advancing sustainability at Brock,” Quintana said.

    Brock’s full report is available on the STARS website.

  • The O-Week Sustainability Challenge Is Back!

    Image preview

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam and Evan Rodenburg

    Back by popular demand, the O-Week Sustainability Challenge initiative is calling on Brock University students to track their sustainable actions for the chance to win one of five prizes. 

    In partnership with Blackstone Energy Services, Brock University is hosting its third annual Welcome Back Sustainability Challenge! From September 11 to 15, students can log their sustainability actions, ranging anywhere from taking public transportation to turning off the lights, onto the EcoBoss app. 

    The five students with the most actions logged by the end of the challenge will be entered into a draw to win one of the three Apple products: an Apple iPad, Apple Watch or Apple AirPods. The two students not chosen in the draw will automatically win a $50 Campus Store gift card. 

    Register to participate in the challenge between September 5 and September 10 on the EcoBoss App following the instructions below: 

    1. Once the free EcoBoss app is downloaded, review and accept the app’s privacy policy
    2. Create an account using your Brock email and enter Brock’s challenge code: badgers
    3. Click the badge icon to join the Brock “Welcome Back Sustainability Challenge”
    4. Press the green “Join Challenge” button and you’re all set!

    The challenge will open at 12:00am on Monday September 11, and close at noon on Friday September 15. The winners of the challenge will be announced at 3pm on September 15! 

    The goal of the sustainability challenge is to encourage environmental stewardship throughout the Brock community by encouraging students to adopt more sustainable habits. The result of this challenge has garnered substantial participation over the years, resulting in large reductions in CO2 emissions, increased amounts of waste diverted from landfills, and significant savings in water use.

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

  • Nuclear Power in Ontario

    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

    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/  

  • The Niagara Escarpment

    Niagara Escarpment | The Canadian Encyclopedia

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam

    Brock University is proud to be located atop the Niagara Escarpment, an incredible topographical feature spanning southern Ontario and the United States. Officially designated as a UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) Biosphere Reserve, the escarpment is a focus for biodiversity conservation and a learning site for sustainability (UNESCO). Within Ontario, the Niagara Escarpment is hundreds of kilometres long from the Niagara River up to Tobermory and Manitoulin Island (Bruce Trail Conservancy). The escarpment also played a critical role in the formation of the landforms for some of the Great Lakes (Ontario, Huron, and Michigan) 

    Things to Do

    There are plenty of activities to do within the Niagara Escarpment during any season, from hiking and camping to skiing. Within the escarpment lies the Bruce Trail, the longest and oldest trail in the country (Bruce Trail Conservancy). As mentioned in one of our previous blog posts on trails in the Niagara Region, the Bruce Trail is a popular route for people of all experience levels. The Niagara Escarpment also features beautiful waterfalls, beaches, and historic sites to explore.  

    Biodiversity 

    The Niagara Escarpment features countless types of ecosystems including cliffs, meadows, coniferous forests, Carolinian forests, and wetlands. The escarpment is also home to over 300 bird species, 55 mammals, 36 reptile and amphibian species, and 90 fish species, making it the Canadian Biosphere Reserve with the greatest ecological diversity (UNESCO). Organizations such as the Bruce Trail Conservancy work to preserve and protect these lands from detrimental human activities while also making the land safe and accessible to the public (Bruce Trail Conservancy). Located so close to the highly urbanized and developed Greater Toronto Area, it is important to maintain the ecological integrity of the escarpment and to also use the valuable green space as a way for people to connect with nature.

    Categories: Niagara, Outdoors, Student Contributor, Sustainability

  • Summer Sustainability Reads

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam

    This list presents to you a few great sustainability books that can help you learn about the history of sustainability and provide an outlook on our future with some practical solutions. Both new and old, some of these books explore revolutionary ways of thinking about our impact and role on this planet. 

    Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the way we make things 

    By: William McDonough & Michael Braungart 

    Cradle to Cradle: Remaking the Way We Make Things eBook : McDonough, William, Braungart, Michael: Amazon.ca: Kindle Store

    Cradle to Cradle is a seminal book written by an architect and a chemist who together explore the societal and environmental benefits of a circular economy. Rather than the traditional “cradle to grave” concept of looking at a material’s life cycle, the authors look at how we can turn it into a “cradle to cradle” mindset by eliminating the final disposal stage. The book discusses the idea that everything can be a resource for something else.  

    The Responsibility Revolution: How the Next Generation of Businesses Will Win 

    By: Jeff Hollender & Bill Breen 

    The Responsibility Revolution: How the Next Generation of Businesses Will Win: Hollender, Jeffrey, Breen, Bill, Senge, Peter: 9780470558423: Books - Amazon.ca

    Targeted towards businesses, The Responsibility Revolution acts as a guide for companies to build a more sustainable future while holding themselves accountable for their activities. The authors strive to completely redefine the fundamental purpose of businesses by encouraging them to be rooted in positive change.  

    The Uninhabitable Earth: Life After Warming 

    By: David Wallace-Wells 

    The Uninhabitable Earth by David Wallace-Wells - Penguin Books Australia

    The Uninhabitable Earth provides an alarming perspective on the future of the planet. The book aims to clarify the true scope of climate change and its impacts, rather than focusing on solutions to the issue. David Wallace-Wells looks at how global warming will impact geopolitics, technology, and the overall trajectory of humankind’s future. Fair warning, this book is not as uplifting or hopeful as some other books on this list. 

    Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience and the Fight for a Sustainable Future 

    By: Mary Robinson 

    Climate Justice: Hope, Resilience, and the Fight for a Sustainable Future: Robinson, Mary: 9781632869289: Books - Amazon.ca

    Mary Robinson brings the voices of those that are heavily affected by climate change to the forefront in this book. It highlights climate change-related experiences from people around the world. Visiting places around the world such as Malawi and Mongolia, Robinson realized that some of the most impactful drivers of climate action was at the grassroots level. Climate Justice is a hopeful manifesto for climate justice internationally. 

    Rebuilding Earth: Designing Ecoconscious Habitats for Humans 

    By: Teresa Coady 

    Rebuilding Earth: Designing Ecoconscious Habitats for Humans eBook : Coady, Teresa, Figueres, Christiana: Amazon.ca: Books

    Rebuilding Earth is a revolutionary and uplifting book on designing and building sustainable infrastructure in the Digital Age. The book introduces the 12 Principles of Conscious Construction as a framework for sustainable development. Coady teaches us how to implement meaningful change by truly understanding how to maintain and protect the natural environment.  

    Silent Spring 

    By: Rachel Carson 

    Silent Spring by Rachel Carson | Goodreads

    Considered one of the most influential environmental books, Silent Spring is about the impacts of pesticide use on the environment and the downstream effects on humans. Taking over four years to write, and released over 60 years ago, Carson challenged the agricultural industry by meticulously explaining the process by which pesticides (DDT in particular) enters the food chain and eventually negatively affects human health.  

     

    Categories: Books, Student Contributor, Sustainability

  • Volunteering in Sustainability: How to Find Volunteer Opportunities to Complete your Living Planet Leader Certification

    By: Brenna Mervyn*

    About the Program 

    The WWF Living Planet Leader program (LPL) has provided an opportunity for students at Brock to complete a certificate in sustainability while completing their degree. LPL is a professionally recognized certification with four main pillars: volunteerism, sustainability in academics, personal sustainability, and leadership. Any student at Brock is eligible to complete this certification, regardless of program or faculty. The following post will be focused on the volunteerism pillar, and how Brock students can complete their 40 hours of volunteer work remotely or in the Niagara Region in relation to sustainability or conservation.  

    Why Volunteering is Important to Sustainability 

    Volunteering and community involvement are key factors in sustainability and conservation. Many organizations working in stewardship or conservation are underfunded. Therefore, volunteerism helps keep parks and events possible for everyone to enjoy. Conservation areas and provincial parks require volunteers to keep areas safe and clean for public use. Volunteers are also key to running community events. Community events aid immensely in spreading awareness of sustainability issues and how to create change in our everyday lives. Volunteerism is also a tool to foster a sense of pride and care for the community we live in. This also amplifies the drive to change the community for the better. Education is also a huge benefit of volunteerism. Many programs for children are volunteer-run, and therefore volunteers play a large role in educating the next generation on issues of sustainability.  

    Portals for Volunteer Opportunities 

    There are various job boards and volunteer sites that compile open volunteer opportunities. These portals are excellent tools when searching for volunteer positions. Keywords such as sustainability, conservation, environment, or climate change can help narrow down results and find a position that is right for you while filling the LPL requirements. Some useful sites are listed below.  

    Organizations and Opportunities 

    1. Organize a litter cleanup! 

    The Earth Day Great Global Cleanup is an excellent resource to register litter pickups globally. Their website outlines how to kickstart a cleanup whether it be a private or public event. Organizing a litter pickup is an excellent way to engage with the community while practicing environmental volunteerism and leadership. There is no minimum group size, so whether it be a group of 5 or a group of 50, organizing a litter pickup is a great way to get volunteer hours while enhancing local biodiversity.  

    2. Volunteering with Niagara Parks 

    Sustainable Niagara Falls | Niagara Falls Canada

    Niagara Parks works to preserve and educate the public on the natural and cultural heritage of the Niagara River Corridor. The Niagara River Corridor is a key to biodiversity in the Niagara Region and is home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna for which Niagara is known for. The Niagara Parks Commission is responsible for the Niagara Glen Naturalization Site and the Dufferin Islands, which are huge tourist destinations (especially during bird migration seasons). Conserving these areas under high stress from tourism requires work from volunteers to manage the sites and educate the community and tourists of their importance. This means that Niagara Parks offers various opportunities to get involved through special events, tree planting, or site management. Their site has a list of many volunteer opportunities, and they even offer a volunteer appreciation program for continued participation!  

    3. Volunteer with the Niagara Peninsula Conservation Authority 

    The NPCA is a resource management agency working on local watershed preservation and conservation. Volunteer opportunities can be found based in various fields. Whether you’re interested in working with children, site maintenance, conservation, or volunteering for special events, there are many opportunities to find the right fit for you. The NPCA is also running the Balls Falls Nature School beginning this September, which is an excellent opportunity to work with and educate children on conservation and sustainability.  

    4. Organize or participate in a BioBlitz! 

    Now, you may be asking, what on Earth is a BioBlitz? A BioBlitz is a community event which creates a biological survey of an environment to log anthropogenic impacts, population density, invasive species, and biodiversity composition. A BioBlitz encourages citizen scientists, community members, and students to participate using surveying apps such as iNaturalist to make identification quick, easy, and accurate.  Last month, Brock partnered with the Niagara Parks Commission to hold the Dufferin Islands BioBlitz which was a huge success. Not only are events like a BioBlitz fun and beneficial to research, but they also involve the community and are a great way to increase interest in issues such as invasive species. iNaturalist is a great resource to find and organize a BioBlitz, as well as Sustainability at Brock who organized the Dufferin Islands BioBlitz.  

    There are many opportunities throughout the Niagara Region for volunteering in sustainability or stewardship. What is most important is finding which opportunity is the right fit for you and your goals. When searching for volunteer positions it is useful to check recruitment sites often, so you don’t miss out on any opportunities. After completing your volunteer hours, don’t forget to upload proof of completion to your Living Planet Leader profile to fulfill the volunteerism requirement!  

    *This blog post was written as part of an assignment for ENSU 3P91: Leadership in Environmental Sustainability Internship Course. If you are interested in taking part in this course, please visit: https://brocku.ca/esrc/minor-in-sustainability/  

    Categories: Community, Niagara, Outdoors, Student Contributor, Study Sustainability at Brock, Sustainability, Sustainability at Brock

  • The energy transition needed to meet global net-zero goals

    Renewable Energy and Cleaner Transport: Egypt Updates its Climate Commitments | Egyptian Streets

    By: Thurkkha Thayalalingam

    Accounting for about 75 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions, fossil fuels are currently the largest contributor to global climate change. Transitioning to alternative renewable energy sources is a vital step towards achieving net zero emissions by 2050. Not only are renewable energy sources better for the environment, but they are often cheaper than “dirty” energy sources and better for human health. Keep reading to learn more about two of the most popular renewable energy sources: solar and wind! There are many more clean sources that are not mentioned here including geothermal, nuclear, hydroelectric and biofuel. 

    Solar

    According to the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), solar energy is one of the cheapest energy sources on the planet. Solar energy is generated using photovoltaic (PV) cells that capture and convert sunlight and heat into electrical energy (Office of Energy Efficiency and Renewable Energy [EERE]). Since the sun isn’t estimated to die for another five billion years, solar is a completely renewable energy source (National Aeronautics and Space Administration [NASA]). According to the US Department of Energy, an hour and a half of sunlight that reaches Earth’s surface can provide an entire year of energy for all.  

    However, solar energy does also have its disadvantages, one of the biggest being that it is weather dependent. The efficiency of solar panels is heavily dependent on the size, angle, and geographic location of the panels. Particularly in urban areas, high rise buildings can prevent sufficient sunlight from reaching panels. Solar power plants also require extensive amounts of land, which is of concern with land availability declining as the human population continues to increase. Additionally, manufacturing PV cells requires materials such as heavy metals and hazardous chemicals that are harmful to the environment (IRENA). 

    Wind 

    Wind energy, or wind power, is generated by converting the kinetic energy of moving air into electrical energy using wind turbines (National Geographic). Wind energy is also one of the lowest-price energy sources, preceded only by solar energy. Only requiring open land and wind, wind turbines are optimal for rural or remote areas.  

    Similar to solar power, wind power is limited by the amount of land available for wind farms. The blades of wind turbines also emit both mechanical and aerodynamic noise that is out of the normal human hearing range but can be damaging to wildlife (EERE). 

    For information on other clean energy sources, explore the links below: 

    Geothermal Energy  

    Nuclear Energy  

    Hydroelectric Energy  

    Biofuel/Biomass Energy 

    Categories: Energy, Student Contributor, Sustainability