“London and Western work well together. That’s fantastic, because it’s a complicated time. In our world today, the risks, the threats and the challenges abound.” Western President Alan Shepard rallied a crowd of more than 500 guests at Engage …
Sustainability
Richard Ivey Building takes top design honours
The Richard Ivey Building was recently presented with the Lieutenant Governor’s Award for Design Excellence in Architecture, the top honour presented by the Ontario Association of Architects.
Western recognized for water efficiency
Western received the 2016 Water Efficiency Award, recognizing excellence in water conservation and strategic action, at the annual Ontario Water Works Association conference on May 3 in Windsor. “We are honoured,” said Saher Fazilat, Executive Director (Facilities...
Western helps unlock secrets to food security
First Nations traditional knowledge fused with the scientific labs at Western in an attempt to understand more about food safety and security for the Kluane First Nation. The community of 95 people is located in the Yukon Territory, along the shores of Kluane Lake and...
Green Awards paint a portrait of sustainability
Sophia Lloyd-Jones has returned to an old form of producing natural dyes using vegetables and nuts to produce organic sculptures that challenge what it means to make art in an environmentally sustainable way. The fourth-year Visual Arts student was among...
Switch ideas turn on WISE judges
Putting their ideas in place would flip the switch on a more environmentally friendly campus. A pair of independent pitches to transition Western’s campus from traditional light switches to motion sensors earned top honours at Western’s Ideas for Sustainability and...
University signs onto Paris Pledge
Western is joining a global community of universities, businesses, cities and other groups in signing the Paris Pledge for Action, committing to doing its part to limit the global temperature rise to less than 2 degrees Celsius. The ambitious target was set at the...
Change how we define success in development
Concerns about environmental sustainability and fossil fuel insecurity have convinced many countries to transition to solar, hydro, bioenergy, wind and other renewables. Since producing and distributing renewables is more labour-intensive than producing and...
Davidson and Bennett: Group keeping Western community FRESH
As the school year unfolds, students begin to focus primarily on their schoolwork and tend to neglect other needs such as sleep, stress relief, exercise and healthy eating. Since overall well-being affects academic status, it is crucial students pay attention to their...
Growing interest in a green solution
Western has taken the idea of ‘locally grown’ produce to a new level with the addition of two Urban Cultivators, an indoor gardening appliance allowing the harvesting of a variety of herbs or sprouts. “Talk about farm to table – you can’t get much fresher than this,”...
Corcoran named head of Centre for Environment and Sustainability
The Centre for Environment and Sustainability (CES) recently appointed Earth Sciences professor Patricia Corcoran as its new director, through June 30, 2017. Corcoran’s research focuses on natural and anthropogenic sedimentary deposits in order to gain an...
Rez Powers Down earns more accolades
Honours continue to roll in for a bright idea that is fueling sustainability in Western residences. Last week, Western was awarded a 2015 Quality and Productivity Award, presented by the Canadian Association of University Business Officers, for the university’s Rez...
Zitani and Thorn: Bananas do nothing for pollinators
It was recently Pollinator Week (June 15-21) and groups across North America are celebrating ways to improve much-needed habitat for pollinators. At Western, we have bananas. (And they’re not even pretty.) If you are unaware of the Plight of the Pollinators, you can...