So What is uOttawa Doing About Sustainability These Days?

 Last year for Earth Day, we recapped the top 50 things uOttawa has done in the past decade to be a more sustainable campus. We promised to never try to put out that much content in one day ever again... but then 2021 happened and we didn't have to because everyone else at uOttawa shared their stories for Earth Day.

Here is a recap of all the Earth Day messages that we could find shared around the campus. And you can check out our website to see some of the highlights.

Impact Rankings
uOttawa participates in the Times Higher Education Impact Rankings, which track an institutions progress on the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. We had some outstanding results this year!

Flying Less in Academia

Researcher Ryan Katz-Rosene has helped author a resource guide on Flying less in Academia. The guide is meant to help reduce the carbon footprint of academics.

Canadian Plastics Pact

Sustainable Prosperity, an environmental think-tank on campus, has helped launch the Canadian Plastics Pact. Their goal is to kick-start the circular economy around plastics.

Greenest Building

The University of Ottawa is currently constructing a new building at the Lees Campus and it is expected that this new building will be the greenest building we have ever constructed. Stay tuned for more details as they develop.

Campus Sustainability Plan
The first ever Campus Sustainability Plan was recently completed and outlines 3 major aspirations for uOttawa. You can check out the goals and find out how you can play a role today.

Recap of uOttawa's Recent Climate Wins

This past year has been a big one for sustainability initiatives on campus, specifically climate related programs. you can relive some of these programs in an article published by the uOttawa Gazette.

Recovered Fruit Drinks

Flirt is a company that made it's way through the uOttawa Startup Lab. They produce drinks with recovered fruits, creating a product that offers these fruits a second life without compromising on taste.

At the Free Store, Alumni Are Welcome

The Free Store is officially opening its doors to Alumni of the University. All you need to do it get your Alumni Association Membership Card from the Alumni Relations Office and present it when you show up at the Free Store.

Environment, Sustainability, and Society

The Faculty of Social Sciences has been consolidating its programing around sustainability and the environment. Take a look at some of the programming they have to offer.

The Institute of the Environment Joins FSS

The Institute of the Environment has joined the Faculty of Social Sciences for the next two years. Housed within the Graduate School of Public and International Affairs, the Institute of the Environment is the University’s hub for environmental sustainability-related research, teaching and other activities.

Mask Recycling on Campus

The COVID Pandemic has brought many changes, including the use of single-use PPE. So the University of Ottawa has purchased TerraCycle boxes to collect and recycle disposable masks. The Faculty of Medicine has already implemented the program at the Roger Guindon Campus.

Greener Retail

Telfer alumna Chantal Butler is the Vice President Sales and General Manager of Loblaw Business at Weston Foods and she wants to make her supply chain more sustainable. Take a look at this great interview about her efforts

Vodkow Serves Another Round to Help the Planet
You already know that Vodkow repurposes the waste of the dairy industry into delicious vodka, but did you know that they are also creating green fertilizer? Find out more about this amazing company with its roots at the University of Ottawa.

So that is our quick recap. You can check out more stories at the website we created for Earth Day, or you can check out our social media 

~jonathan rausseo - campus sustainability expert