The University of Western Ontario unveiled a new sustainability website today as Ontario universities were gathering at Queen’s Park in Toronto to pledge their commitment to the environment and greener practices.
Among highlights of the new sustainability website is a Green Report outlining Western’s initiatives and a new pledge that: “The University of Western Ontario is committed to embedding sustainability into every facet of daily life.”
The pledge also promises:
“As a member of the London community, we will incorporate responsible practices into all aspects of operations in order to minimize our impact on the environment.
“As a teacher of the next generation of global leaders, we will equip students with the knowledge and the tools essential to living a sustainable future.
“And as a research facility with strong intellectual capacity, we will investigate pressing issues and propose effective solutions to environmental problems.
“Through active citizenship, teaching and research, we will ensure the health of our planet and its people for the long term.”
In Toronto, members of the Council of Ontario Universities (COU) used University Day to make a sector-wide pledge to the provincial government on matters of sustainability and to unveil a report: Ontario Universities: Going Greener, summarizing green initiatives across the province.
“Ontario universities are deeply aware of the challenges that face the world arising from climate change and the degradation of natural environments, and we accept the responsibility of helping to find solutions, share knowledge and incorporate principles of sustainability into our operations,” says Sheldon Levy, Chair of Council and President of Ryerson University.
The COU report on environmental sustainability activities underway at 20 Ontario universities has been posted on COU’s website.