Ten years ago when I was a student at the University of Ottawa, I had this magical dream of something called a Free Store. I had heard from my friends that Carleton University had one and I instantly had to have one on my campus. I had never seen one for myself but I imagined that this incredible space would house row upon row of all manner of useful items. The walls would be adorned with beautifully framed pictures, the floors we be flooded with thick velvety carpets, and I would be able to spend hours just sifting through the sea of one of a kind knick-knacks. Did I ever feel like a tool when I saw that the Free Store was nothing more than 5 boxes in the corner of a small student office. Apparently when there were enough people, they would put the boxes on the desk to make them easier to rummage through. Pfft, I was crushed. So a year later OPIRG hosted a Clothing Swap at the University of Ottawa. It was fun, there were at least 8 garbage bags worth of clothes and one rack to han...

Creating a greener campus takes a lot of work, and for the University of Ottawa, that has meant a lot of green campaigns. With elections coming back, it’s time to take a look back at previous green campaigns—and who's been helping push them through. The bike co-op came into effect after passing through a referendum in February 2010, creating a space on campus for bike enthusiasts to hang out, swap stories, and help each other with repairs, and also encourages and helps new cyclists. The U-Pass, a not-uncontroversial issue, has passed through two referendums to offer cheaper bus fare on OC Transpo to students, getting a few more cars off the roads and helping make travel more affordable for students living in the city. The Green Fund, another referendum measure, added a $2 fee to each student’s tuition in order to create a financing source for green projects on campus. The money helped set up the Sustainability Centre, and supports green initiatives in campus clubs and o...

Photo credit: Jonathan Rausseo I feel fall in the air and can hear the tell-tale sounds of crunching leaves underfoot on my way to class which reminds me that a great initiative on campus is coming to a close as the Community Garden wraps up another successful year. Although faced with a strange cucumber beetle, tomato blight and scorching heat this summer, the garden has managed to bring joy to its participants who used it as a means of relaxing and producing their own organic and local produce. The Ontario Public Interest Research Group ( OPIRG ) driven project took place on King Edward Avenue across from Brooks Residence and included over twenty five participants that had access to free plots and necessary tools. It was great to escape from work on occasion to help water some of the plots- most notably when a water fight ensued with Marie-Pier during the 40+ degree weather. I hope to be involved next year and make some improvements to make the garden even more enjoyable for members...