Au mois de février et mars 2011, nous avons fait une étude dans la cafétéria à l’UCU. Il y avait 7 stations de recyclage, avec des petites affiches, et des trous semblables.  Nous avons trouvé que : En moyenne, 85 bouteilles sont jetés ou recyclé par heure*; En moyenne, 28 contenants compostable sont jetés dans la poubelle par heure; 67 % des gens ne trient pas leurs articles correctement dans la cafétéria; 84 % des articles emporté aux comptoirs par les employés sont mal-triés *tous ces articles étaient jetés à la fin de la journée, donc, même si le tri était bien fait, 85 bouteilles se faisaient jetés par heure. Cette étude a justifié l’achat d’une station de tri pour tous les types de recyclage, la vaisselle, les cabarets, etc. avec des grandes d’affiches simples et de la couleur. Suite à l’installation de la nouvelle station de recyclage dans la cafétéria à l’UCU.  Au mois de mars 2012, nous avons refaite l’étude sur la contamination. Nous avons trouvé que :...

Bonjour M. Ravignat, Je vous écris aujourd’hui pour vous exprimer ma déception concernant l’annulation des fonds fédéraux pour le programme Katimavik, ainsi que les autres coupures aux programmes environnementaux. Aujourd’hui, je suis encore une fois embarrassée d’être Canadienne. Je travaille au bureau du développement durable à l’Université d’Ottawa et nous avons toujours accueilli des participants du programme Katimavik; plus de 30 jeunes ont passé dans notre bureau depuis 2007. Comme vous le savez, les programmes écologiques sont presque toujours les derniers items sur la liste de fonds, et la première chose que l’on coupe lorsqu’il manque un peu d’argent (Table ronde nationale sur l’environnement et l’économie, le Protocol Kyoto…). Nous avons dû travailler extrêmement fort pour accomplir tous les projets, les nouvelles politiques, etc. écologiques à l’Université d’Ottawa. C’est très clair que nous ne pourrions jamais être l’a où nous sommes sans l’aide précieuse des parti...

I messed up once during the week I pledged to go waste free. I tossed my dental floss in the garbage can and it wasn’t until I was walking around campus with a container of orange peels to compost that I realized I hadn’t even thought if that floss was recyclable. After a quick investigation online I found out that floss is not recyclable, which makes sense since mine seems like minty-scented nylon. Turns out, lots of big-name floss actually contains polytetrafluoroethylene, the same stuff that coats non-stick cookware, and its production is pretty bad for the environment. Who knew? A friend of mine suggested using hair, but I really don’t think I’m up for that just yet. The internet did, however, abound with suggestions on what to do with my used dental floss. People wash it (the best method apparently is to soak it in a container with soap), and then they reuse it. Either as reusable dental floss or to wrap packages, to tie plants in their garden, slice delicate food, sew buttons...

WTF!?!?! I just finished reading the article "Katimavik Cuts..." from the Huffington Post ( click here to read ). I don't normally take many political stances but this is just too extraordinary to not talk about. The next federal budget could dictate the existence of the Katimavik program! If you know anything about our office you will know that Katimavik volunteers are the backbone of our operations. They literally make this place work. Without them.... actually I don't even want to think about that right now. Every time a new group of Katimavik volunteers start working for us, I give them the same speech. I tell them that "Genius is 1% inspiration and 99% perspiration" (thank you mister Thomas Edison). I tell them that anyone can have a good idea but making good ideas happen is what makes Katimavik so special. And "persperate" they do. Our participants are crucial to several of our programs. This past year we had Katimavik manage our Dum...

(water fountain at the University of Ottawa) So last week was World Water Day and I have to ask a question, what did you do to celebrate? I know what you are thinking, "World Water Day... Are you serious?" You know, on a level I definitely feel you. Sure, water is super important, but come on... why not start celebrating air, or sunlight, or language? We are pretty spoiled here in Canada when it comes to a lot of things and I think that water is at the top of that list. We so take it for granted that it is basically forgotten that people used to have to take staggered showers not even a century ago. We hear about things like drought in the Prairies, but it is an alien concept to most of us. If you want to flush a toilet, you don't even think twice. If you need water to drink, you go to a tap or buy it at a store. The idea that there was simply no more water does not compute in our minds. The one beautiful thing about water is that we still recognize that it is v...

click here to see the full image Polythene bags are very popular with both retailers and consumers. They are strong, lightweight, functional and hygienic means of carrying items. Though they are a modern convenience that we cannot do without, they are a menace. Around the world, this menace is showing its impact now. Not totally excluding the impact of other reasons like green house gases, pollution and deforestation, polythene has a much greater impact. As for me being an international student at University of Ottawa, I’ve come realise a lot of things. When I was a kid, we had this old age tradition to take our own shopping bags even for little stuff may be just fruits or vegetables. We would have exclusive bags, could be handmade or recycled or cloth that were beautifully painted or embroidered. I never understood why my grandma was always against getting any polythene bag home. As I grew older, finding out why a polybag was not good, I came across a lot of strange facts that ...

Au début du mois de Février, je me suis engagée de vivre sans déchets pendant 2 mois. Avec assurance, je croyais finir ce défi sans problèmes et sans découragements. Je savais très bien que à ma maison j’avais un système organisationnel assez clair et efficace : dans toutes les pièces où se trouve une poubelle, j’avais aussi mis en place une boite pour le recyclage et une poubelle à composte qui réclamait une grande majorité des moussoirs utilisés. Donc, mes colocataires aussi indirectement participaient. Au travail, j’avais caché la poubelle, installé un bac de composte et réservé une espace pour les trucs à recycler. À l’école, c’était assez facile, il y a plusieurs stations de recyclage avec la possibilité de recycler tous les plastiques (oui, j’apportais mes plastiques de chez moi à l’école) et il y a aussi plusieurs bac de composte. Les problèmes se venus avec les sortis chez les amis et dans les restaurants. J’ai réalisé d’en fait je ne mangeais pas très souvent à la m...

Recyclemania is slowly coming to an end, leaving in its’ trail optimists, newly enthusiastic recycling addicts, guilt-ridden consciences and some very frustrated people. I’ve noticed that many people having taken the pledge realise how much we actually throw out (and buy), and how we could collectively make a difference. I absolutely agree and often get frustrated when I see paper in the trash can. But I think it’s time for some high fives and thumbs up. Anyone who took the pledge is awesome in my books. Anyone who became mindful about recycling and composting also get an A. And everyone who just tried a tiny bit to have better recycling habits is pretty darn cool. Why are all these people equally cool in my mind? Because we’re all different. We have different backgrounds, come from different places and don’t all have the same mentality. For example, in the music department, I often hear “purists” bashing about “wanna be musicians”. Which basically mean they do not accept someon...

It is that time of the year again, when millions of Canadians hold their breath, squeeze all their hopes into the pit of their stomachs, and roll up the rim to see if they win. The problem is that the only thing we are actually winning is a crappier planet. Roll up the Rim to Win has been the bane of my existence for the past decade. The University of Ottawa, like every other University, has a disposable cup problem: there are too many of them to put a fine point to it. Many, if not the majority of disposable coffee cups, are tossed directly into the garbage on campus. There is a general misconception that coffee cups are covered with so much wax that they can’t be recycled (I can’t blame anyone, what is that stuff on the inside of the cup that is super shinny and stops water from leaking out of it?). Otherwise, people understand that you can recycle them and they do just that... except that they do it while the cup is still half full of coffee. That means that the coffee so...

Je suis bénévole pour l’université d’Ottawa et je participe au programme katimavik. J’ai débuté en janvier et depuis j’aime bien ce que je fais, j’ai un travail très diversifier et physique et je m’y plais. Chaque lundi il y a le muggy Monday qui consiste a donner du café gratuit a tout ceux qui emporte une tasse réutilisable et ces vraiment drôle car la plupart des gens nous voit tous les lundi mais vont quand même acheter un café chez Tim Horton a la place de l’avoir gratuitement à condition d’avoir une tasse de café.  Chaque mercredi je vais cuisiner avec quelque autre personnes, des mets végétariens pour les distribuer gratuitement le midi, ces vraiment une bonne idée car si on n’a pas assez d’argent, ou on est trop paresseux pour ce faire un lunch, chaque mercredi on peut quand même manger. En plus ces toujours délicieux. Les vendredis je dois faire le tour des bâtiments pour m’assurer que toutes les stations de recyclage sont dans un bon état et que le recyclage e...

While the Fulcrum’s latest sex-ydition and the Recycle Mania waste-free challenge that are plaguing my mind of late, I have to pose the question: “Environmentally friendly sex; is it possible?” Let me rephrase, “is environmentally friendly, baby-free, safe sex possible?” Answer after my research: Probably not. Option 1: The pill, one of the most popular prescriptions on university campuses, can be used to effectively prevent pregnancy and if you’re in a committed relationship where both partners are tested negative for STIs, it may be appropriate. Though, as recently covered in the  media , the estrogen in the pill is causing the feminization of fish and also, those plastic cases aren’t recyclable in your regular recycling (they are in our campus plastics program though). Option 2: Condoms, sitting out in front of Health Promo (if you are interested in some freebees) for the campus population, are also effective in preventing pregnancy and the transmission of STIs. H...

I joined the waste-free challenge because I thought it would inspire my colleagues to rethink their habits in the workplace. I already live a mostly waste-free lifestyle: recycling, composting, avoiding products with too much packaging, unplugging electronics when they’re not in use, turning down the heat when I’m away, turning off my computer screen when I leave the office, etc. This isn’t to say that I’m perfect or better than anybody. The point is that I make a conscious effort to reduce my share of waste. Sometimes it’s a hassle, but I do feel a sense of responsibility for my actions. Let’s be honest. There’s no such thing as a completely waste-free lifestyle. Humans live on this planet. We have a right to use our fair share of its resources. Sadly though, I’ve come to realize that a large percentage of people I meet simply do not think or care about using their fair share. My last job was at an environmental non-profit here in Ottawa. I was living in a bubble. All the thin...

On entend beaucoup parler d’écologie et des multiples moyens de devenir vert pour protéger, localement ou à la grandeur de la planète, l’environnement. Je crois que même s’il y a encore beaucoup à découvrir, nous avons fait des pas de géant sur les façons de devenir vert. Maintenant, pour préserver la beauté de toute la nature, nous y compris, il faut que nous mettions en pratique ces façons de devenir vert. Ce qui me préoccupe surtout ici, c’est notre motivation à adopter ce style de vie, ne serait-ce que pour ce qui a trait au recyclage. Reconnaître l’importance de prendre soin de notre environnement, c’est une chose, mais le mettre en pratique comme règle de vie, c’est autre chose. Idéalement, il faudrait que nous trouvions ce style de vie aussi naturel que de verrouiller notre porte quand nous quittons notre demeure pour aller à l’épicerie ou au travail ; une sorte d’automatisme. On ne se pose plus la question «Est-ce que je devrais recycler ? Utiliser moins de pa...

A summary of my first month living waste free: To sum up, I have pledged to live waste-free for nine weeks (from January 29th to March 31st) in the spirit of RecycleMania – and just to show that it is possible! What I mean by waste-free is that I will not be sending anything to landfill; I will be recycling, composting, and using my reusable containers! I have been waste-free for about a month now, and am finding it even easier that last year – now that the University recycles all forms of plastics! I am planning all my meals ahead of time, making all my own foods from scratch, and buying ingredients by bulk in jars and reusable containers. The first interesting experience I had was during my visit to the dentist. I hadn’t been in a few years, and forgot just how much waste they produce for a simple check-up: a disposable plastic ‘bib’ to protect my clothes, disposable plastic floss, a disposable cloth to wipe my face (wrapped in plastic), and a disposable plastic cup to rinse m...

Last semester, Sustainable SFUO made the decision to start hosting a Farmer’s Market inside UCU. There are a couple of reasons why this goes down as a solid bit of decision-making: supporting local vendors and farmers, promoting local and homegrown foods, and putting some fresh and healthy food into the hands of students. As Caroline Wall, a student at the University of Ottawa, states, “The quality at a farmer’s market is obviously going to be better, and you get to actually meet the person who made or cultivated [the food]”. However, the most important reason is probably this: it made Farmer’s Markets accessible to students. Of course, the Byward Market isn’t that far away, and it stands to reason most students could just amble over a couple of blocks and, through most months of the year, have access to all that fresh and local food that tastes so damn yummy. “If it’s accessible by bicycle or bus, I’m willing to go,” says Wall, and the market she most routinely visits is L...