Explore, learn, and participate in several sustainability opportunities available to you at UBC.
Workshops
Cool 'Hood Champs
Monday, September 18, 25, October 3, 5:30 pm - 8:30 pm
A FUN and FREE program that trains you to become a climate champion in your own neighbourhood! Through a series of super interactive workshops, you will learn to: identify climate impacts and solutions within your neighbourhood, envision your ideal climate-friendly neighbourhood, champion climate action within your community, by writing and implementing your very own climate action plan, and connect your climate action with the City of Vancouver’s and BC’s climate policies.
Paddling Together: Building Decolonization Practices for Mobility Justice and Sustainable Cities
June 17, 9:00 am - 4:00 pm
BC Hydro Theatre in the CIRS building on campus | 2260 West Mall
Are you interested in learning about mobility justice, sustainable transportation, and city-building through an anti-racism lens?
Join B.E.S.T. (Better Environmentally Sound Transportation) and the UBC Climate Action Mobilizers in a strategic planning workshop. This workshop is designed to deepen your understanding of traditional Indigenous values, decolonize the way you think about “communities,” and reimagine sustainable transportation and urban planning.
FACTS/ PIMS Public Panel on Climate Change
Jul 27, 2:30-8:30 pm
UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street
Join for either the workshop session (2:30-5:30pm), panel discussion (5:30-8:30pm), or both to learn about Tackling Climate Change and the Just Transition to Renewable Energy. This two-part event is part of a series of French-Ameri-Can Climate Panels (FACTS) on climate change. This panel features a diverse group of eminent Canadian and French leaders representing climate science, renewable energy, economics, public policy, and Indigenous affairs.
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Wetlands 4 Climate - Earth Day Workshop
Apr 23, 11:00am-12:30pm
Strathcona Community Garden, 759 Malkin Avenue, Vancouver
Explore Vancouver's newest wetland for a special Earth Day workshop on the role wetlands play in climate change mitigation! Explore the newly created Strathcona Wetland to learn about this ecosystem and its crucial relationships with plants and wildlife. We'll then discuss how wetlands can support climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts. This will be followed by an interactive group activity, a short question session, and end with a mingle where snacks and beverages will be provided.
Place as Lived in the Salish Sea - The Storied Lives of the Southern Resident Killer Whales
Apr 18, 4:30-6:00pm
In-person OR Online
Through story as pedagogical witnessing, Sandra Scott will introduce place as bioregional, lived through experiences within our own backyards. Learn the stories of the Southern Resident Killer Whales to emphasize the importance of nurturing relationships with the more than human world. The purpose of this story-telling experience is to empower us to develop an in-depth understanding of a unique, precious, and critically endangered community with whom we share a home.
Cool 'Hood Champs - Local Climate Action Training
Apr 5 OR Apr 12, 6-8:00pm
411 Seniors Centre, 3502 Fraster St, Vancouver, BC
This workshops will bring together UBC students, local residents, and community organizations to learn about the impacts of climate change and what you can do to address them!
An Economic Environmental Crisis: What's the Connection Between it All? Movie Screening and Panel Discussion
Mar 27, 5:30-9:00pm
BC Hydro Theatre, CIRS Building
This event captures the spirit of climate fighters by streaming their story and further inspires to take action through an engaging panel discussion with Avi Lewis and other local activists afterwards. Be ready to learn about economic injustice but also about what can be done despite it.
Citizen Science Nature Walk: Exploring the Intertidal Zone
Mar 10, 1-3:00pm
UBC Rose Garden 6301 Crescent Road Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
Join the Biodiversity Cohort of the UBC Sustainability Ambassadors to learn more about some species inhabiting Tower Beach! Meet at the Rose Garden and then briefly walk down to Tower Beach, where you will learn about some of the fascinating critters in the intertidal zone. Our knowledgeable guides will provide insights on citizen science, including how to gather and share data about the ecosystem to support conservation efforts.
Biodiversity Loss & Taking Climate Action
Mar 7, 3:30-4:30pm
CIRS Policy Labs, CIRS Building
With over 1 million species threatened with extinction, it is important to develop sustainable practices and habits to protect our environment. This workshop will explore the interconnections between climate change, pollinator biodiversity, and sustainability. Participants will engage in group discussions and hands-on activities, including learning how to start a garden and take home a FREE plant kit.
Ecological Economics: Goods, Services, and Ecosystems
Mar 1, 5-7:00pm OR Mar 3, 3-5:00pm
CIRS Building Room 1131, 2260 West Mall
Curious about the circular economy? What about doughnut economics? Ever heard about degrowth? Join the Justice Cohort’s Sustainability Ambassadors this week to learn about the role of the economy in solving some of our biggest sustainability challenges in society and the environment.
Food for thought: A conversation on food security for students at UBC
Feb 15, 5-7:00pm
Green College, Global Lounge
To many students, the main goal of their degree is graduation. With the unstable funding to food security and the response from student groups, this event seeks to educate and connect people involved in the food security scene. This event will hold conversations about meal skipping, the intersection of food accessibility, the climate emergency, education fees and academic success.
Building Climate-Resilient Communities
Feb 14, 3-4:00pm
CIRS Policy Labs, CIRS Building
This workshop explores various approaches to climate resilience that range from community care & nature-based solutions, to bold climate policy & coalition building. It aims to offer hope by mapping examples of climate solutions on both a local and global scale, while also holding space for participants to collaborate on a case study activity.
How Local Governments Create Climate Policy and How You Can Help
Feb 13, 4-5:00pm
BC Hydro Theatre, CIRS Building
How can students play a role in critical climate policy development in the Vancouver area? In this moderated conversation we will explore the policy being developed by local governments to catalyze a reduction in carbon emissions. Learn about the key actions being advanced, the challenges in the way, and opportunities a different future will create. Ask questions and learn how students can play a role.
Are you ready to write a new climate story?
Feb 13 AND 14, 10:00am-1:00pm
BC Hydro Theatre, CIRS Building
Join us in this free theatre workshop to craft a “live documentary” on the climate emergency. Live interviews with workshop participants will form the narrative for a new climate story to be shared in a staged reading. All are welcome and no theatre or journalism experience is required.
Dorm to Table: Activating Sustainable Food Practices with Microgreens
Feb 8, 5:30-7:30pm
BC Hydro Theatre, CIRS Building
This event is focused on sustainable food practices and growing your own microgreens! You'll also have the opportunity to meet other students on campus and connect with community partners.
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World's Challenge Challenge
Application Due: January 2nd
The World’s Challenge Challenge is a competition hosted by the UBC Global Lounge, which seeks to engage students on international issues and how they can play a part in sparking social change.
Teams of students pitch their solutions to global problems for a chance to win up to $3000. Winners go on to compete in the International World's Challenge Challenge, for a top team prize of $30,000.
The Climate Change-Makers Challenge: 2022
Dec 3 & 4, Multiple Event Times
Online
Join youth from across the world in this two-day challenge to create solutions for our climate crisis! Can you (together) create that next key solution to our climate change dilemma?
Climate Anxiety to Action Workshop
Nov 21, 2-3:30pm
Policy Labs, CIRS Building
Feeling lost and hopeless about Earth's future? Learn to cope with eco-anxiety and mobilize yourself to action. Snacks and prizes will be offered!
Green Rights and Warrior Lawyers Virtual Academy and Inspirathon
Nov 9 & 10, Multiple Event Times
Online via Zoom
This innovative program mobilizes the power of stories to bring issues of environmental rights and justice to life and inspire action, as nine courageous “Warrior Lawyers” from around the world share their stories of advancing Green Rights through (and sometimes despite) law.
UBC Zero Waste Training
Oct 6, 5-6pm
Online via Zoom
Join the UBC Zero Waste Training workshop to learn about UBC’s climate action and zero waste plans! Participants will learn how to effectively sort waste, as well as explain how to reduce contamination and divert waste to UBC community members.
Citizen Science Safari
Sep 22, 3-5pm
UBC Farm
Join staff from the Sustainability Hub, UBC Farm and UBC Botanical Garden, as well as this year’s Biodiversity Cohort of the Sustainability Ambassadors, to learn about urban ecology, the dangers of invasive plant species, and how you can identify and record invasive plant sightings using iNaturalist, to help support the health of the campus ecosystem.
Events
Trailblazing: Women in Canada - "How We Changed It"
Tuesday, September 12, 6:00pm - 8:30pm
Science World is currently hosting Trailblazing: Women in Canada since 1867, a national travelling exhibition that explores the contributions that women are making to politics, work, and everyday life in Canada. During this in-person event, six resilient presenters will share their five-minute stories about "How We Changed It”, followed by a Q&A session with the audience.
Vancouver Climate Strike 2023
Friday, September 15, 1:00 pm
Join young people, students, parents, teachers and community members at the Global Climate Strike. You will join millions of people around the world who will take to the streets to demand a rapid, just, and equitable end to fossil fuels as world leaders gather at the UN in New York. At 3pm we will gather at Vancouver Art Gallery for speakers, performances, and activities.
Strength, Stretch, Sustain: Pilates and Shoreline Cleanup
Saturday, September 16, 10:00 am - 12:00 pm
On Coastal Cleanup Day, this holistic event will start with a 45 min pilates class followed by a sustainability session and an hour of beach clean up along Vancouver's shoreline.
tREX: The Renewable Energy eXperience // Sustainable Energy Walking Tour
Wednesday, September 20, 6:00 pm - 7:30 pm
Join members from SPEC's Energy & Transportation Committee and explore a diverse array of renewable energy assets at Olympic Village. If you are interested in learning about passive design, LEED-certified buildings, and waste-to-energy generation, this tour is for you!
Holding Climate Emotions: A Youth-Led Climate Justice Conference
Friday, June 16, 10:00 am to 03:00 pm
Morris J Wosk Centre for Dialogue, 580 West Hastings Street, Vancouver, Canada
As the climate crisis continues to escalate, youth are experiencing feelings of overwhelming anxiety, fear, and despair. Together, we’ll discuss our overwhelming climate emotions, process them in a shared space and reflect on how we may take action together. This event will feature a variety of speakers, organizers, researchers and panellists who are committed to climate justice, political protest, and emotional resilience. Through deep dialogue and interactive workshops, we'll explore strategies for imagining just climate futures and collective liberation.
Together|Ensemble at UBC – Advancing the SDGs in British Columbia
Wednesday, June 7, 2023, 08:00 to 17:00
BC Hydro Theatre
Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability
2260 West Mall, Vancouver BC [map]
UBC faculty, students, staff, community members and organizations across BC are invited to join as we discuss and explore key cross-cutting themes relating to decolonization, climate justice, education, and just transition. Events and panels throughout the day will advance participant understanding and appreciation of these key themes as they relate to the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
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Tech for Good: How ESG Principles Can Drive Innovation
Apr 27, 12-1:30pm
UBC Sauder School of Business, 2053 Main Mall Vancouver, 9th floor - Big 4 room
Join Toast and UBC as we explore the intersection of ESG and tech, and how these two areas can work together towards a sustainable future. Learn how technology can be used to address environmental challenges, the role of tech companies in promoting social justice and inclusion, and how ESG principles can be integrated into business operations and decision-making, with a specific focus on the experiences and perspectives of women in tech.
Earth Day at Trout Lake
Apr 22, 11:00am-2:00pm
Trout Lake Community Centre, 3360 Victoria Drive, Vancouver
Calling all Earthlings! Earth Day is back at Trout Lake. Join for some good GREEN fun while learning how to be better stewards of our environment. Play some games, make crafts, do a nature hunt, join a workshop or just educate yourself from one of our visiting informational booths!
Sustainability Celebration
Apr 21, 5-6:30pm
CIRS, BC Hydro Theatre
Join the Sustainability Hub for an inaugural celebration of campus groups and student organizations dedicated to sustainability at UBC! Mingle with staff, faculty, and students while enjoying hors d'oeuvres and light refreshments. Featuring slides of individual and group sustainability and climate action achievements and a presentation of the Sustainability Leadership Awards.
Advancing Climate Solutions in a Politically Polarizing World
Apr 20, 1-3:00pm
In-person OR Online
In this talk, Dr. Andrew Weaver will explore the challenges and opportunities associated with curbing the increase of atmospheric greenhouse gases, with particular emphasis on the complexities arising from the ongoing political polarization of society. Emphasis will be on the need for more evidence-based decision-making within the political establishment if we collectively wish to reverse the disturbing trend towards decision-based evidence-making in the formation of provincial and national policy.
Abolish Border Imperialism: Climate Migration, Racial Capitalism, and Empire
Apr 6, 2-4:30pm
Liu Institute for Global Issues, 6476 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver BC
Join Harsha Walia for a talk on climate migration, racial capitalism, and border imperialism. Harsha Walia has been involved in community-based grassroots migrant justice, feminist, anti-racist, abolitionist, anti-capitalist and anti-imperialist movements for over two decades, including No One Is Illegal, Defenders of the Land, and the DTES Women’s Memorial March Committee.
Oberlander Lecture: Julie Bargmann
Apr 5, 7-8:30pm
UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson St, Vancouver, BC
The UBC School of Architecture + Landscape Architecture is excited to welcome Julie Bargmann, founding principle of D.I.R.T. and winner of the inaugural Oberlander Prize, to deliver her lecture, "What Would Cornelia Do?" Be it a coal mine, a shipyard, a city full of polluted soils, and all sorts of abandoned sites, DIRT does what Cornelia would do: dig deep, carefully and empathetically find, let form and process emerge from the place, and design the landscape with a vengeance.
Dancers of Damelahamid
Mar 30, 12-1:00pm
Scotiabank Dance Centre, 677 Davie St, Vancouver, BC
Cost: $13-15
Dancers of Damelahamid is an Indigenous dance company with a rich history of masked dance which inspires compelling performances. Spirit and Tradition layers vibrant dances, singing, drumming, and projected imagery to immerse us in the ecosystems and culture of the Indigenous lands and waters of the Northwest Coast. Tracing themes of reciprocity and ecological sustainability, the work shares important teachings on balance, interconnectedness, and community.
Exploring the Impact of the Global Biodiversity Framework
Mar 17, 10-11:00am
Online via Zoom
Join UBC Students in exploring the significance of the Kunming-Montreal Framework for Global Biodiversity, including the key developments of the Framework, as well as the important takeaways at a local level.
Constructing the Public in Public Perceptions Research: A Case Study of Forest Genomics
Mar 10, 1-2:00pm
Chemical and Biological Engineering Building, Room 202, 2360 East Mall
Expert views of the public are an important dimension of the science-society relationship. While research has found empirical support for different ways of imagining publics – as uninformed, as disengaged, as a threat to science, and as co-producers of knowledge – there has yet to be a systematic exploration of how these imagined publics are represented in scientific fields. Learn about the outlined agenda for deepening and extending research on public perceptions of new technologies!
Emotions and Saving the Planet
Mar 10, 11:00am-1:00pm
Online via Zoom
How can we bring our best selves to the long haul of climate justice work, in the face of so much degradation and suffering? Bringing together social movement theory, environmental justice, climate psychology, and mindfulness, Dr. Sarah Jaquette Ray will explore these questions, drawing on her book, A Field Guide to Climate Anxiety: How to Keep Your Cool on a Warming Planet.
Think Local with the SDGs
Mar 9, 10-11:00am
Online via Zoom
The session will also highlight best practices in developing Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) and how these VLRs may inform Canada’s Voluntary National Reviews and reporting at the UN’s High Level Political Forum.
Us vs. Them: Othering in the Community
Mar 8, 3-4:30pm
UBC Global Lounge, 2205 Lower Mall, Vancouver, BC
Othering is a process that creates an us versus them power dynamic in which people can be treated differently due to perceived differences. From voluntourism to being token representation, this dynamic can show up in the university in many ways. This event serves as a space for participants to engage in dialogue and share experiences about othering at the university.
Teaching the SDGs
Mar 7, 11:00am-12:00pm
Online via Zoom
In an ever-changing world with increasingly complex challenges, the UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) require rethinking norms and imagining innovative solutions. Post-secondary institutions play an important role in building capacity among learners to address this work. Explore strategies and methods for teaching about the SDGs to improve learning outcomes in universities and colleges across Canada.
Town Hall Discussion on cross-faculty school for climate and sustainability
Mar 3, 2:30-4pm
Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre, Jack Poole Hall North, 6163 University Boulevard
The Faculty of Science and colleagues across the University request your presence and participation in a town hall discussion focused on a new cross-Faculty flagship school focused on climate change and sustainability. Help work on articulating a shared vision and collaborative planning effort.
Solving the Sustainability Challenges at the Food-Climate-Biodiversity Nexus: A Panel Discussion
Feb 27, 5-6:00pm
Aquatic Ecosystems Research Laboratory (AERL) Theatre, 2202 Main Mall
Join to hear from an international interdisciplinary panel that will discuss the development of marine and aquatic food-climate-biodiversity solutions that explicitly consider their complex social and ecological contexts. The panel will highlight case studies in Canada, China, Costa Rica, Nigeria/Ghana and the Netherlands to elucidate different potential pathways towards achieving food security, climate mitigation and biodiversity conservation goals.
Human Rights and the Environment: Are Human Rights only about Humans?
Feb 16, 12-1:30pm
Place of Many Trees, Liu Institute
This session will focus on the relationship between human rights and the environment. Are human rights only about humans? How can we use human rights to improve our environment? Dr. David Boyd will present how we can harness the power of human rights to improve our environment.
Extraction: The Frontiers of Green Capitalism
Feb 15, 1-2:30pm
Green College Coach Room OR Online via Zoom
This talk will unpack the challenges of clean technologies through the lens of lithium, a so-called “critical mineral” essential for its role in decarbonizing one of the most polluting sectors: transportation. It will also consider the role of environmental and Indigenous movements contesting the rapid expansion of extraction, defending ecosystems, livelihoods, and waterways already under pressure from global warming from a new boom in mining.
Land-based research and climate adaptation in Palestine
Feb 14, 12:30-2pm
Allard Law School, Rom 122
The Climate crisis has not received considerable attention in Palestine amidst seemingly more pressing matters. In this talk, Omar will explore some adaptations, especially with tree and grain crops, as well as the unique land-based research methods used to investigate them. Both the technical aspects of agroecological adaptation and the ongoing research methods may hold insights for land-based research in other communities around the world.
Under a White Sky: The Nature of the Future
Feb 11, 8:15-9:30pm
P. A. Woodward Instructional Resources Centre (Woodward IRC)
Come meet author Elizabeth Kolbert, observer and commentator on the crisis faced by humans in the Anthropocene for The New Yorker magazine. She is the recipient of many distinguished awards including the National Academy of Sciences Communication Award (2006) and a Heinz Award (2010). Ms. Kolbert’s articles have also appeared in The New York Times Magazine, Vogue, and Mother Jones, and have been anthologized in The Best American Science and Nature Writing and The Best American Political Writing.
Sue Big Oil: A Made in BC Climate Campaign
Feb 9, 5-6:30pm
BC Hydro Theatre, CIRS Building
In July 2022, Vancouver city councillors voted 6-5 in support of a motion to set aside about $700,000 — roughly $1 per every Vancouver resident — to fund litigation against Canada’s biggest producers of oil and gas. Join leaders from UBC, West Coast Environmental Law, and Vancouver City Council to find out what this means.
A Critical Balance: Land, Culture, and Cumulative Effects in Northeast British Columbia
Jan 9, 3:30-5pm
Sty-Wet-Tan Hall, First Nations House of Learning, 1985 West Mall, UBC
Chief Willson will address cumulative effects on West Moberly First Nations territories, including those stemming from hydroelectric dams, forestry, oil and gas development and now climate change. He will also speak about their path-breaking caribou recovery efforts in light of these cumulative effects. All welcome. Registration is not required.
Zero Waste Panel Discussion & Tour with Sharewares and Nada Grocery
Jan 26, 6-8:00pm
Sharewares Warehouse, 69 W 3rd Ave, Vancouver
In partnership with Sharewares and Nada Grocery, come hear entrepreneurial stories from successful zero-waste businesses in the Vancouver area. The event will consist of a 20-minute tour of Sharewares and Nada Grocery’s operations. After the tour, participants will attend a zero-waste panel discussion, followed by an opportunity to network with the CEP community.
Completing the Circle: A Path Towards Nutrient Circularity in Food Systems
Jan 26,11am-12:30pm
Online via Zoom
In an ideal world the nutrients in the soil, flow through the entire food system, growing into plants, which animals and humans eat, and eventually, those same nutrients return back to the soil, beginning the cycle once again. But in our food system, we are failing to meet the potential of nutrient circularity, causing problems from pollution to depleted soils and food insecurity. Join for a virtual panel discussion followed by a 30-minute Q&A session with panellists that are working towards nutrient circularity at different stages of the system.
Planning a Sustainable Campus: Balancing Growth and Climate Action at UBC
Jan 25, 5:30-7pm
Jack Poole Hall, UBC Robert H. Lee Alumni Centre
How can UBC lead as a model for climate action in the context of a growing urban campus and neighbourhoods? Join Simon Donner, an interdisciplinary climate scientist and Professor at the University of British Columbia, for a presentation and moderated Q&A session on how UBC can take bold and courageous steps to balance growth with climate action on the Vancouver campus.
How Climate Change, Sustainability, and Geopolitical Stability is Transforming the Path Forward
Jan 19, 1-3:00pm
Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies 6331 Crescent Road, Room 307
Come hear from David Wilkinson, on the clean energy plan and transition based on the Net Zero 2050 Roadmap by the International Energy Agency (IEA), and others, some related research at UBC, and some of the potential issues we face in this massive undertaking.
Water Demand Management and Conservation Practices in British Columbia
Jan 19, 12:30-1:20pm
Beaty Museum Theatre, 2212 Main Mall OR Online via Zoom
Come hear from Vincent Chireh, PhD Candidate at IRES, on some of the challenges climate change amplifies towards our water demand. It is important to explore what measures are being implemented, the motivation for adoption, the impact on water pricing/billing, and affordability. Public engagement, financial stability, and effective planning can assist in reducing wasteful water consumption and saving the environment.
Disability-Inclusive Climate Actions
Jan 16, 12:30-1:45pm
Fasken Classroom, Room 122, UBC Allard School of Law OR Online via Zoom
Despite forming 15% of the world’s population, people with disabilities have been largely excluded from efforts to tackle the climate crisis. Citing examples drawn from Canada and around the world, Dr. Jodoin will demonstrate that climate action can and should be designed and implemented in ways that meaningfully integrate the disability community and its human rights.
Traceability and Transparency for Improving the Sustainability of Commodity Supply Chains
Jan 12, 12:30-1:20pm
Beaty Museum Theatre, 2212 Main Mall OR Online via Zoom
Come hear from Patrick Meyfroidt, Professor at IRES, on the sustainability impacts of commodity products such as agriculture and mining activities. Gain insights on supply chains including soy and beef from Brazil, and cocoa from Ivory Coast, and discuss key lessons in how improving traceability and transparency can be key to designing, implementing and monitoring governance interventions to improve the sustainability of commodity supply chains.
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Panel Session: Health, Equity and Climate Change in the Classroom
Dec 12, 1:30-3:00pm
Online via Zoom
Come hear from faculty members from various disciplines who are currently working on projects that explore the intersection of climate change, sustainability and healthy communities. The discussion will focus on their experience developing and implementing curriculum that combines themes of well-being and equity with the health and resilience of the natural ecosystems that sustain human life.
COP27 Debrief: Beyond Doomism and Solutionism in Response to Climate Change
Dec 9, 4:30-5:30pm
Online via Zoom
This panel will problematize the approaches of climate doomism and climate solutionism in response to the climate and nature emergency (CNE), focusing on how both approaches discourage engagement with the complexities of the CNE.
Climate Change, Domestic and Foreign Investment, and Migration in Ghana
Dec 7, 12:15-1:45pm
Case Room, Liu Institute for Global Issues
6476 NW Marine Drive, Vancouver
Come learn from Dr. Jemima Baada, Professor of Climate Change and Human Migration, about the effects of climate change and foreign investment among migrants in rural communities of Ghana.
Cultivating Placefulness: Why We Need a Contemplative Ecology in Troubled Times
Dec 6, 6pm
Room 2270 SFU Harbour Centre
515 W Hastings St, Vancouver, BC
Join Jason Brown from SFU in an exploration of the inner and outer landscapes we inhabit, explore, and call home, spaces where we find the convergence of place, ecology, and spirituality.
COP27 and the Politics of Power, People, and Place
Dec 1, 6-8pm
SFU Beedie School of Business
1300-1500 Segal Building 500 Granville Street Vancouver, BC
Did COP27 open up space for the voices of Indigenous Peoples, youth organizers, and local communities? Join this UBC Sustainability post-COP27 event for an opportunity to hear from and speak with faculty and student delegates who’ve just returned from climate negotiations in Sharm El Sheikh.
Future Forests Webinar
Dec 1, 12-1pm
Online via Zoom
More people, companies and institutions are calling for greater protection of animal habitats, eco-tourism and biodiversity. Indigenous and local communities have a more prominent seat at the table. And a greater emphasis is being placed on how to tackle the global climate emergency through sustainable forest management than ever before. Our panel of industry experts will discuss some of the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead.
Nature Canada COP 15: UBC Nature Bus
Dec 1, 9-11am
Outside UBC Booksre
Drop by the Nature Canada Bus to say hello and send a message to Justin Trudeau at NatureCOP in Montreal. The letters collected should be directed to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and should convey the message of why Canada’s nature and species are worth protecting and why we need a strong framework to halt and reverse its loss.
Sustainability Session: Climate Anxiety and Wellbeing
Nov 22, 12-1pm
Online via Zoom
Join this virtual Sustainability Session lunch & learn, exploring a variety of sustainability topics relevant to households and neighbourhoods of the University Neighborhoods Association.
2022 Project Green YVR Annual Summit
Nov 21, 9am-12pm
YVR Main Terminal - Sea to Sky Room B
3211 Grant McConachie Way, Richmond
Come hear from the Vancouver Airport Authority’s Climate & Environment Team to learn more about the environmental initiatives underway.
Soft Paths to a Sustainable Food System Seminar
Nov 17, 3:30-5pm
School of Environmental Science, SFU
Halpern Centre Room 114, Burnaby
In this talk, Dr. Ramankutty will describe the nature of global agriculture today, broadly outline the coupled challenges of food security.
2022-23 Wall Catalyst Program on Climate and Nature Emergency
Nov 17, 1-3pm
Peter Wall Institute for Advanced Studies
6331 Crescent Road, Room 307 Vancouver, BC V6T 1Z2
In this guest lecture, Dr. Lori Daniels and Dr. Nicholas Coops will be presenting their research for addressing climate change in Canadian Forests.
UBC Therapeutics Initiative: Climate-Conscious Inhaler Prescribing
Nov 16, 12-1pm
Online via Zoom
Come learn about the impact of inhaler therapy on climate change, ways you can change inhaler-prescribing practices to provide climate-conscious care, and recognize that “Green Care” is great care with Dr. Val Stoynova and Dr. Celia Culley.
UBC COP 27 Live!
Nov 15, 12-1:30pm
Online via Zoom
Join UBC students, staff, and faculty on-the-ground at COP27 in conversation with CBC News climate journalist Lisa Johnson for an inside view of the negotiations, discussions, and emotions of the conference.
UBC Reads Sustainability with Geoff Dembicki
Nov 10, 12-1:30pm
Online via Zoom
Join climate investigative journalist and award-winning author Geoff Dembicki for a conversation on his latest work, which draws from confidential oil industry documents to uncover how companies like Exxon, Koch Industries, and Shell built a global right-wing echo chamber to protect oil sands profits.
Canadian Climate Impact
Nov 10, 11am-12:30pm
The Embark Studio SFU
8888 University Drive, SUB 1310 Burnaby
Canada is a significant contributor to global climate inequities, from shipping waste overseas to producing goods in countries without living wages or just environmental laws. Join Embark Sustainability as they discuss climate inequities on a global scale.
David Suzuki x Brandi Morin with Naomi Klein
Oct 30, 4-7pm
Chan Center for the Performing Arts
David Suzuki will speak with Edward R Murrow-winning French, Cree, and Iroquois journalist Brandi Morin, author of the searing and powerful memoir Our Voice of Fire. The event will include a closing address by Hereditary Chief Na’moks of the Tsayu Clan of the Wet’suwet’en Nation, addressing the ongoing struggle of Wet’suwet’en leaders to defend their lands, waters, and sacred sites against the Coastal Gaslink Pipeline.
UBC Garden Design Lecture
Oct 28, 7pm
UBC Robson Square, 800 Robson Street
The annual Garden Design Lecture strives to create poetic power of landscape and a sense of connection and meaning to each site. Learn how to bring together ecology with the culture of place, and climate adaptation as the future of garden design.
Climate Stories from UBC
Oct 27, 5-8:00pm
Van Dusen Botanical Gardens, 5151 Oak Street
Climate researchers from UBC will gather to tell stories about their work for climate justice, their partnerships with communities from around the world, and how their work contributes to the global struggle for our future.
Happier cities: what’s the secret?
Oct 26, 12-1pm
Online via Zoom
How do we cultivate happiness in urban environments? From the importance of green spaces in civic centres to meaningfully matching people with the spaces they occupy, find out how we can all make cities happier places to be.
Catalyst Program Launch
Sep 26-27, 11am-1pm daily
The Nest
Sep 28-29, 11am-1pm daily
Martha Piper Fountain
Visit a Catalyst booth to learn more about the program and start your sustainability leadership certification program. This is a drop in event; no registration is required.
Volunteer
Volunteer with AMS Lending Library
Many dates throughout the year
The AMS Lending Library is a resource hub housing a variety of equipment and tools for students to borrow at a low cost, with all items decided through student input! Help out by facilitating the borrowing procedures and tracking inventory, gain transferable skills, and contribute to building a circular economy at UBC!
Volunteer with the UBC Climate Hub
Many dates throughout the year
The UBC Climate Hub is interested in connecting students with climate action, community building and fostering friendships and fun. Let them know how you might like to get involved!
Volunteer with Blue Flag
Many dates throughout the year
Blue Flag is an award for environmentally-friendly beaches and marinas. Swim Drink Fish operates Blue Flag Canada, working with Blue Flag International to ensure that all Blue Flag sites meet the same stringent environmental standards used across the world. We need trained volunteers like you to visit Canadian Blue Flag beaches and marinas and conduct control visits to ensure that they are meeting the required standards.
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Apply for: Research School on Sustainable Solutions
Application Due: Feb 10
Sustainability is enabled by technological advances but is a social construct and needs to be economically viable. Therefore, there is a need to take the discussion on sustainability and sustainable development beyond its traditional and confined limits within the academic disciplines of engineering, technology, economics or geography or political science and analyse the problems through a multidisciplinary and trans-disciplinary approach, and holistic, integrative, and critical thinking. For more information, click the link below!
UBC Student Leadership Conference
Jan 21, 9:45am-1pm
UBC Vancouver Campus
Application Due: December 11th @ 11:59pm
Day-of volunteers are integral to the conference and assist with a multitude of tasks on the day of. This is a rewarding and dynamic opportunity to network with community leaders, gain transferrable skills, and get involved with the largest student-run conference in Canada.
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Jericho Park Beach Clean Up
Dec 11, 9:30-12:30pm
Jericho Beach Park, 3941 Point Grey Road, Vancouver
The Jericho Stewardship Group will be hosting our monthly work party, where we will be removing blackberry, ivy, and other invasive plants so that native species can once again flourish in the park.
Kits Beach Clean Up
Nov 6, 12-3pm
Kitsilano Beach, 1945 Cornwall Avenue, Vancouver
Join Kits Beach Coffee for a social clean-up of well-loved Kitsilano Beach. Enjoy free coffee and other activities as well!
Remove Invasive Plants & Build a Community at Ruth Johnson Park!
Oct 29, 9:45am-1pm
Peace Arch Curling Club,1475 Anderson St, White Rock
Help remove invasive English ivy, English holly and English laurel from Ruth Johnson Park in White Rock! You will be restoring local habitat while also having fun and connecting with each other in nature.
Active Transportation with T-Bird
Oct 12-13, 12-2pm
UBC Main Mall
Apply by Oct 7
Join the Campus and Community Planning team and T-bird in promoting and the Pedestrian Priority Zone as a shared travel corridor for pedestrians, cyclists, and other active travel modes.
Zero Waste Squad
Apply by Sep 30
The Zero Waste Squad is a peer-led volunteer program open to all UBC students – brought to you with support from UBC Sustainability. The Squad is now open for registration for Fall 2022, with a number of exciting in-person opportunities coming up. All UBC undergraduate and graduate students are welcome to join!
UBC Apple Festival Zero Waste Support
Oct 15-16, 10.30am - 4.15pm
UBC Botanical Garden
Register by Oct 7
The UBC Apple Festival is celebrating its 31st year! With hundreds of apple varieties, tasting sessions, grafting and cider-pressing demonstrations, as well as educational activities, we are expecting guests of all ages from UBC and beyond. Volunteers are needed to help support waste sorting and educational outreach on UBC’s sustainability initiatives. Free entry and refreshments will be provided.
Beaty Museum Educational Volunteers
Apply by Sep 23
Share your love of the natural world with others by joining the Beaty Biodiversity Museum’s volunteer team!