This semester, as part of the Green Reps, I learned a lot about waste, recycling, and compost. As part of the program, I participated in a composting campaign and audit in the Dining Hall. This is my second blog post, where I share my experience volunteering in uOttawa's Dining Hall.  In February, a team of Green Reps students volunteered for two days in the Dining Hall to help audit the compost created by consumers and to encourage behaviour change.  Why is a compost campaign and audit necessary? Most students know that the dining hall is zero waste, meaning that the only waste stream available is compost. This has positively affected the quantity of waste produced in the dining hall, but it hasn’t eliminated the problem of food waste. There seems to be a common misconception that composting is a good solution. Don't get me wrong, it is the best solution of all waste and recycling streams (and you should absolutely compost all of your food scraps), but that doesn't mean th...

Wait wait, before we get started, you can check out our uOttawa move-out guide for those living in residences! I know I know... final projects are due, papers need to be handed in, and exams are getting started. So the last thing on your mind is how to be sustainable when all this is done and you head home for the summer. But, like many things in life,  little bit of planning can go a long way. So by taking just a hot second to look over this list, you can do some real good for the planet and your community. So this list isn't going to focus on how you travel (although if you are travelling under 500 km, consider the train instead of the plane), instead it is going to focus on what to do with all the stuff you accumulated and can't take with you when you leave. Yes, we all sometimes get more stuff then we need... no judgement here. This list will help you figure out the best way to get that stuff out into the world so it can help others. Now one option you can consider before ...

When I go back and reflect on  how all of this started, I have to be honest and start with disappointment. I did not get the sustainability coordinator job that I wanted (wink wink to my amazing colleague). Not off to a very good start , you might think . Well , life is full of surprises and three months later I got a call encouraging me to apply for the recycling coordinator position . I was passionate about waste, and it could not be that far from sustainability , so why not? Here I am, one year and a few months later, reflecting on this absolutely amazing journey.   I walked into the F acilities office at uOttawa with zero expectation s and a very open mind. T here , I found a sense of belonging and acceptance that has been quite refreshing , especially after a rocky career path since moving to Canada. I landed here in 2018 with two suitcases and a desire to pursue a career in s ustainability. I have been blessed in finding jobs easily but findin g m...