By Jeffrey Preiss
The numbers say a lot: 643 students, 42 faculty members and 83 staff members participated in UBC’s SEEDS Sustainability Program last year. They worked on projects related to climate, energy, procurement, community, food, water, biodiversity, buildings, wellbeing, health, land, materials, finance, transportation and waste last year alone. And their efforts have not gone unnoticed.
The Program has been awarded the 2015 AASHE Sustainability Award for best Campus Sustainability Case Study for an institution with more than 10,000 students. The award was presented to Liska Richer, SEEDS program manager at the 2015 Conference and Expo in Minneapolis on October 25.
“This award represents a significant milestone and opportunity for SEEDS,” says Richer. “It is gratifying to see our model recognized and shared with international peers. The conference also provides a perfect opportunity to share knowledge and create partnerships.”
The Sustainability Awards are the most prestigious honor AASHE (Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education) bestows upon organizations and individuals for their achievements in Campus Sustainability. The award is presented for best Campus Sustainability Case Study for an institution with more than 10,000 students.
Along with UBC, winners of other awards included: Portland Community College, Southern Oregon University, University of Hawaii Maui Campus, Temple University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the University of Madison-Wisconsin.
"I am honored to see such distinguished and hard-working sustainability leaders recognized as AASHE Award winners. These leaders are truly pioneering the campus sustainability movement and their achievements represent big wins for our community," said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser.
The UBC SEEDS Sustainability Program brings together students, faculty and staff to enable innovative research projects at UBC.
The Program has received international recognition and has been replicated across several universities in North America and Europe.
More information on the SEEDS Sustainability Program, including an archive of more than 1100 completed research projects, can be found online.