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Spring 2013

Ivey’s plastic water bottle reduction initiative a huge success

If you have an article idea for this newsletter, or for more information, please contact Beverley Ayeni, Energy and Environment Manager, at sustainability@uwo.ca or visit the Sustainability Website at sustainability.uwo.ca.

By: Patrick McNaught

Plastic water bottles have become part of the daily routine for millions of Canadians. Cleverly marketed by major beverage companies, bottled water targets consumers who are looking for a convenient refreshment while also living a healthy lifestyle. The global market for bottled water is valued at $60 billion, with a volume of more than 225 million cubic metres.

Despite the perceived benefits to consumers, bottled water has many negative environmental impacts. In 2006, the production of plastic bottles in the US alone required the equivalent of more than 17 million barrels of oil. Additionally, the process emits over 2.5 million tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2). Companies argue that the bottles are recycled, therefore limiting negative environmental impacts; however, 38 billion water bottles end up in landfills every year.

In addition to the environmental impacts, bottled water represents a large cost to consumers as well. For example, the cost of most 500 mL water bottles in Canada is approximately $2.00. In Canada,

there is readily available access to free water in public locations and very low costs from household taps. Yet, people prefer to buy and toss plastic bottles instead of bringing a refillable container with them for simple convenience reasons.

In November 2012, the Ivey Sustainability Club, led by Co-Presidents Patrick McNaught and Nicole Harvey, launched an initiative to reduce purchases of single-use plastic water bottles on Western’s campus. Canadian Springs donated 600 refillable bottles and water-refilling stations were installed in classrooms. The initiative aimed to create awareness of the negative environmental impacts of plastic water bottles, as well as the

economic savings from refilling bottles at fountains. Over a 3-month span, students saved approximately 2,200 MJ of energy, 500 kg of CO2 emissions, and over $4,000. For each single-use plastic bottle equivalent that students consumed using their refillable bottles, Ivey’s Centre for Building Sustainable Value donated funds towards the purchase of a water refilling station in the new Ivey building.

The success of this initiative allowed students to learn that choosing sustainable habits is not only positive environmentally, but can also create economic benefits too.

Members of Ivey’s Sustainability Club. From left to right: Rachel Harris, Natasha Shew, Allie Haines, Patrick McNaught, Anita Lee, Abhinay Sathya, and Pooja Jain.

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National Environmental Events Calendar (April-June 2013)April April 22: Earth Day

Earth Day occurs on April 22nd each year, and is highlighted by “Acts of Green” occurring all over the world. For example, from April 9-21, the City of London hosted numerous environmental events, including its annual “Clean and Green” event, where individuals from all over the city took part in litter pick-up and tree planting events. There are no specific criteria for activities that occur on Earth Day, only that they should serve to help the planet and promote sustainable living!

MayComposting Awareness Month

The month of May is International Composting Awareness Month. Within this month, the first full week is designated as Compost Awareness Week. This is a time that is meant to generate

awareness and appreciation for composting. Composting, whether it be in someone’s own backyard, at the mall, or on campus, helps to reduce the amount of waste sent to landfill, and also helps to create healthy additives for soil. For information on where composting is available at Western, visit http://sustainability.uwo.ca/initiatives/waste_reduction/composting.html.

May 17: Endangered Species Day

Although this day was introduced in the United States in 2006, there is nothing to stop Canadians from celebrating Endangered Species Day. This day is celebrated on the third Friday of May each year. At this time, everyone is encouraged to learn about endangered species and what they can do to protect the world’s wildlife. Habits such as avoiding flushing medication down the toilet, creating healthy backyard habitat and eating sustainably caught seafood can help protect the planet’s wildlife. Visit http://www.stopextinction.org/esd.html for more information about endangered species.

May 17: Bike to Work Day

National Bike to Work Day is also held on the third Friday of May each year. It falls within Bike to Work Week, and Bike to Work Month. These events are meant to encourage a healthier, more sustainable lifestyle. Biking to work, or wherever you go, helps to reduce the amount of emissions you create, while also saving you money on gas and providing great exercise. Visit http://www.london.ca/d.aspx?s=/Transportation/Bike_safety.htm for more information on cycling in London.

May 22: International Day for Biological Diversity

The United Nations proclaimed May 22 as The International Day for Biological Diversity on December 29, 1993. This day is meant to increase understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. This year, the theme is Water and Biodiversity. Those interested in recognizing this day can participate by planting trees native to their area, or by running in the Run for Biodiversity. For more information on this event, visit http://usc-canada.org/run-for-biodiversity/.

JuneJune 2-8: Canadian Environment Week

Every year during this week, fun and educational activities occur across the country. There are also themed days that occur during the week that are meant to broaden Canadians’ understanding of current environmental issues. Each day participants can focus on a new environmental issue and discover things that they may not have known. Continue reading on the following page for more information about Canadian Environment Week.

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June 2-8, 2013 is Canadian Environment Week. Every year during this week, fun and educational activities occur across the country. There are themed days that occur during the week that are meant to broaden Canadians’ understanding of specific environmental issues, allowing participants to focus on a new issue and discover things that they may not have known.

Below are some of the key features of the week and some activities that individuals can participate in.

Commuter Challenge: June 2-8

This national event promotes friendly competition amongst organizations and cities to see who can get the highest percentage of employees out of single occupancy vehicles and finding other ways of travelling, such as walking, carpooling or cycling.

World Environment Day: June 5

Established in 1972 by the United Nations, this day is meant to stimulate worldwide awareness of the environment and encourage political attention and action. Individuals are encouraged to organize a neighbourhood clean-up, refrain from using plastic bags, plant a tree, walk or cycle to work, reduce household energy consumption, etc. Anything that is good for the environment is encouraged.

Clean Air Day: June 6

This day encourages action promoting clean air and awareness of climate change issues. Canadians can show their commitment by participating in activities that specifically contribute to cleaner air, such as using public transit, cycling, walking or reducing energy consumption within the home.

World Oceans Day: June 8

This international day began at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro in 1992 and has been celebrated each year ever since. The goal of World Oceans Day is to encourage individuals to develop an understanding of why oceans are important, what they have to offer, and how people can become their caretakers. A list of activities occurring each year for this day is available on the Fisheries and Oceans Canada website.

By participating in Canadian Environment Week events, individuals can educate themselves, promote awareness and do good for the environment.

For more information about these events and how to participate, visit http://www.ec.gc.ca/sce-cew/default.asp?lang=En.

Canadian Environment Week

Western community hauls 500 pounds of wasteOn April 4, over 150 staff,

students and faculty at Western participated in the second annual campus clean up. The day was a huge success; over 500 pounds of recyclables and garbage were picked up, leaving behind a much more beautiful campus.

The clean up began with a brief talk about what can and can not be recycled on campus, helping to educate participants about where to properly dispose of their waste. After each team returned from their pick-up zones, everyone was treated to a free, zero waste BBQ lunch.

For those that missed out on the clean up, be sure to keep an eye out early next year for when registration opens up again.

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Western Heads EastBy: Katie Atkinson

It all started with a single mission: to help the hundreds of thousands of men, women and children in Africa who suffer from HIV/AIDS. This mission blossomed into Western Heads East (WHE), an organization that describes itself as Western University’s community response to the HIV/AIDS crisis in Africa.

This year WHE celebrates its ten year anniversary and the organization has many accomplishments worth celebrating. In 2006, WHE received the Western Award for Excellence and last year it was honoured with both the Western Humanitarian Award and the World University Service of Canada Lewis Perinbam Award in International Development.

WHE began in 2002 with a group of staff from Western’s Housing Department. This group was inspired to help after listening to a talk by Stephen Lewis who, at the time, was the United Nations’ Special Envoy for HIV/AIDS in Africa. In his speech Lewis challenged people to get involved with the AIDS crisis in Africa and help make a positive change. Bob Gough, who is now WHE’s Project Director, and some of his fellow workers from the Housing Department, accepted Lewis’s challenge. The question was, exactly how would they contribute to addressing the millions of Africans suffering from this deadly virus? The answer was probiotic yoghurt.

WHE collaborated with Dr. Gregor Reid, a scientist at Lawson Health Research Institute and professor of Microbiology and Immunology and Surgery at Western. Reid researched probiotics and along with Dr. Sharareh Hekmat of Western’s Brescia University College, created the probiotic yoghurt that helps those who suffer from HIV/AIDS.

Probiotic yoghurt can build immune response and stop diarrhea which is a sickness that claims the lives of many who suffer from AIDS. The healthy bacteria found in the “Fiti” yoghurt kills pathogenic bacteria and viruses.

Over the past ten years WHE has sent 64 student interns to different areas of Africa to collaborate with community partners to open kitchens that produce yoghurt. There are now sixteen kitchens in Mwanza, three in Kenya, and one in Rwanda. The interns stay in Africa for an average of four months, with many interns conducting research for either their undergraduate, masters, or doctoral thesis.

The yoghurt is made mostly by women’s groups and a few youth groups. The women’s groups have six to ten members who own the micro-enterprise. The empowerment of women is another very important aspect of WHE’s program. The women in these groups, who are known as Yoghurt Mamas, are economically empowered and

benefit from the training and educational opportunities involved with their roles.

Each group produces about 60 litres of yoghurt per day, with some making up to 100 litres. Last year, Dr. Marianne Larson, a professor with Western’s Faculty of Education, donated more than one million dollars to the program to provide daily yoghurt to over 850 East African people living with HIV/AIDS.

WHE is funded by Housing and Ancillary Services at Western, but the program will be moving to Western International in May, 2013. WHE is considered one of the key programs at Western that collaborates with international partners in East Africa and involves students in international service-learning experiences.

The program also raises money through fundraising and educational activities that are held throughout the year. Western students, faculty, and staff can get involved with these activities, and students can join

Bob Gough, Western Heads East Project Director, interacting with children from the Buswelu Public School in Mwanza, Tanzania.

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WHE’s Fundraising and Education Committee or apply to be one of the interns who visits Africa to help with the yoghurt groups.

Last month, WHE held its annual In the Market event which involved a silent auction that included items brought back from Tanzania by interns and generous gifts donated by such businesses as the Royal Fairmont Hotel, the Stratford Theatre, and Via Rail Canada. The event was a huge success, and over $7000 was raised.

Members involved with WHE look forward to what the next ten years will bring for the program. There are certainly challenges, but there is also a real commitment to reciprocal and mutually beneficial relationships with community partners. WHE is excited about the African Probiotic Yoghurt Network (APYN), an umbrella organization for the yoghurt programs established through Kivulini Women’s Rights Organization in late 2011. Based in Tanzania, APYN is a non-governmental organization that provides training, sustainable development support, and quality control of the probiotic yoghurt community kitchens.

WHE is now working to stabilize the sustainability of the recent

growth of community kitchens, with a goal over the next five years of more than 100,000 people in

East Africa having access to this beneficial probiotic yoghurt.

ESS Green BallThe Centre for Environment &

Sustainability’s (CES) Environment & Sustainability Society (ESS) is excited to announce that the 2013 Green Ball Charity event was a success, raising $1200 to support rare Charitable Research Reserve.

ESS has made a tradition of hosting an annual Green Ball, supporting a different environmental charity each year. This year, ESS elected to support rare Charitable Research Reserve, an organization that conserves over 900 acres of land along the Grand and Speed

Rivers. ESS was impressed by rare’s commitment to conservation and restoration, conducting both long term research and monitoring to ensure effective protection of native species and ecosystems.

This year’s Green Ball was held on campus at The Wave. Music, dancing and good company made for good times, all in the name of a great cause. Over 80 tickets were sold in support of rare, and more than 50 attendees made it out to show their support. Several attendees were lucky enough to make it home

with raffle prizes, including a signed copy of David Suzuki’s Under the Sun; a guided canoe trip with Grand Experience; and a GoodLife fitness package valued at over $400.

Special thanks goes out to all who helped make the event a success: the CES; the sponsors that supplied raffle prizes; members of ESS who worked behind the scenes to make the event happen; Western students and staff who donated generously to rare; and, last but not least, to all who were in attendance, making for a fun and memorable evening.

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By: Jim Galbraith

People are always on the watch for salt in their diet, and are told not to use too much. This is because salt can be a health hazard when used in excess. The same holds true for the environment.

Salt is critical in maintaining safe roads and sidewalks during the winter season. It is used to prevent buildup of ice and snow and also to melt ice and snow that have settled on the ground. When too much salt is applied on roads and sidewalks, it can lead to excessive runoff into rivers, streams, soils and the water table.

Salt application has been a challenge for Landscape Services staff in the past, and upon looking at previous trends, rates of application have varied over the years. Clearly, there was no standard for how much salt to use.

A chance meeting at a Landscape Trade Show in Toronto with Bob Hodgins of Smart about Salt allowed for a frank discussion about the use of salt, which lead to the opportunity to have the Smart About Salt training program presented to Western’s team.

In October 2012, Western’s Landscape Services Team, building supervisors and upper management attended a day-long

session regarding the use of salt and application rates.

The session was very informative, and covered topics ranging from environmental concerns about excessive salt use, to the misconception that salt should be used to melt snow, and finally to how little salt is actually required on sidewalks and road ways.

As safety issues are always important at Western, many questions were raised about this. Hodgins stressed that the right amount of salt at the right time and place will ensure a safe surface for drivers and pedestrians.

Following the training session, Marc Vanden Heuvel, Facilities Management’s Lead Operator, began a critical step in the process by calibrating all of the University’s salt spreading mechanized units, and providing training to all operators about operating procedures and equipment settings.

Training was also provided to caretakers to ensure that they would be able to spread salt at the right rate and also determine if contractors were spreading the correct amount during building entrance snow removal. Training highlighted how much salt is required for a specific area, with practice applications on the shop floor. The next step was to measure two sidewalks that

contractors maintain and then spread the correct amount on the walk. This training system resulted in a 40% reduction in salt use at building entrances.

By December 1, 2012, all training had been completed and equipment calibrated. The true test would take place during the first snow storm.

After a number of storms and winter salting events, it has been determined that the amount of salt being used on campus has dropped considerably; we have used about 150 tonnes less salt this year than average. This reduction means that 150 tonnes of salt will not be entering our environment and posing a potential health threat. It also means that Western has generated savings of approximately $13,000.

Attending the Smart about Salt seminar has paid off financially and environmentally. As Landscape staff move forward, they will be working on the final stage of accreditation in the Smart about Salt certification process, which will involve documentation of salt use, facilities inspections, and continued training of all employees and contractors.

The final step in the certification process is the introduction of pre-wetting before a snowfall. This liquid application of a salt/water mix prevents initial snowfall from binding to surfaces, which allows for quicker manual removal and fewer subsequent salt applications.

Looking back at the first year of implementing the Smart about Salt program, Western staff are proud of their success. The Landscape Services team will continue to provide safe passage for all pedestrians and vehicular traffic on campus, while reducing negative financial and environmental impacts.

Salt - more than a food additive

Salt storage at Western. Coloured salt allows staff to see where it has been applied, preventing over-distribution.

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And the Green Awards winners are...Earlier this month, Western

celebrated its sixth annual Green Awards. These awards recognize contributions to sustainability on campus and help raise awareness about great social and environmental initiatives, projects or habits. Each year, one to three individuals or groups who work or study at Western are recognized. Below is a list of this year’s nominees, winners and honourable mentions.

Nominees & Honourable Mentions

Kelly Lovell (Honourable Mention)

Western Engineering Toboggan Team (Honourable Mention)

Sustainability Committee, Department of Geography

Ivey Sustainability Club

Dr. Hui Zhang

Digital Bookplate Working Group,Western Libraries

Dr. Moncef Nehdi

Maureen Mollard

Simona Cociuba

Amanda Green

Sadaf Hatam

Brandon Scott

Winners

1) Tom Cull – Thames River Rally

Tom Cull created and runs an organization called Thames River Rally. This organization, which is in its second year, holds monthly rallies to clean up garbage in and along the Thames River.

Thames River Rally has removed an impressive and troubling amount of garbage from the Thames River. Tom and the Rally volunteers have also picked up hundreds of used needles from the river and its banks. Based on Tom’s appeals, the City

of London is, with the help of the London-Middlesex Health Unit, considering a program to install safe needle disposal sites under bridges on the river.

Tom has helped to raise public awareness about the importance and health of the Thames River, which is a vital part of Western’s campus.

2) Gideon Bell – Environmental Commissioner, Huron University College

Gideon has worked tirelessly to motivate students to get involved in environmental initiatives. He teamed up with EnviroWestern for a tree planting event in September, spent two summers building and growing a beautiful reading garden that students and faculty can enjoy on Huron’s campus, threw a fundraiser in support of ReForest London and Friends of the Coves, organized a three-day event in late January to support environmental sustainability, and has engaged in discussions with administration at Huron in order to provide feedback and ideas that the College can use to improve environmental awareness and sustainability on campus.

Gideon has made it his personal mission to bring a greater focus to the environment and sustainability at Huron.

3) Dr. Irena Creed – Great Lakes Futures Project

Dr. Irena Creed is the creator and co-lead of a project which truly exemplifies Western’s leadership in sustainability, international excellence, trans-disciplinary research, and innovative thinking. The Great Lakes Futures Project involves academics, government, non-government organizations, industry, and private citizens, in both Canada and the United States, and will forge consensus on the desired future of the Great Lakes-St. Lawrence Basin. The actions of Dr. Creed aim to develop a holistic vision for the Basin and the tools to move towards a socio-ecologically sustainable future for the entire Basin, a precious resource that the Western community, the inhabitants of Southern Ontario, the Basin and by extension the world, rely upon.

Roy Langille, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management (left) and Beverley Ayeni, Energy & Environment Manager (right), present Tom Cull (cen-ter) with his Green Award.

Roy Langille, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management (left) and Beverley Ayeni, Energy & Environment Manager (right), present Gideon Bell (center) with his Green Award.

Roy Langille, Associate Vice President of Facilities Management (left) and Beverley Ayeni, Energy & Environ-ment Manager (right), present Katrina Moser (center) who accepted Dr. Irena Creeds’s Green Award on her behalf.

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Sustainability Tips, Tricks & FactsKn w?

Did You

Environmentally Friendly Moving

Refill to WinThis year, EnviroWestern got rid of the paper ballots during their Refill to Win campaign and made ballots electronic. Students and staff received a coupon code each time they bought coffee in a travel mug during Tim Horton’s Roll Up the Rim to Win campaign, which they emailed in to the Refill To Win email. There were 846 entries this year and 72 winners. Prizes included one month of unlimited yoga at Downtown Holistic Yoga Centre and many generous gift card donations from local businesses like Yoyo’s, VegOut and Jack Astor’s.

Moving can be a frequent part of life during university years, and this process can have many negative environmental consequences if done wrong. Try packing items in reusable containers instead of cardboard boxes that will just be thrown away. Frogbox, a company that operates in London, provides affordable, reusable moving boxes that are delivered to your home and picked up after your move. This option is perfect for students who can’t afford to waste time during exams by finding and putting together boxes. Visit frogbox.com/london for more information.

Packing materials can also be made more eco-friendly if they are reusable. Instead of buying packing paper, movers can save-up newspaper for a few weeks before moving. Bath towels and blankets can even be used as packing materials in order to reduce overall waste.

Res Powers DownBeginning on March 25th of this year, residences kicked off a two-week Res Powers Down campaign for the second time this academic year. Students participated by reducing their energy consumption within residences any way they could, from unplugging microwaves to washing their laundry in cold water and taking shorter showers. Just like last term, the event was a huge success, bringing in overall energy savings of 8% compared to the previous two weeks. This term’s biggest savers live in Perth Hall, with average energy savings of 14.3% over the two-week period. Alumni House was a close second, saving 12.3% during the challenge. Half of the money that each residence saved on their utility bill will go towards paying for building damages that occured throughout the year.