Thompson Rivers University

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This page is part of the Places section in the Knowledge Base.

According to the BC Ministry of Advanced Education, [1], Thompson Rivers University (TRU) [2], formerly the University College of the Cariboo, "has a regional focus, with its main campus in Kamloops and several satellite campuses and centres around the central Interior. The university offers a comprehensive range of programs, from master’s and bachelor’s degrees to diplomas, certificates, trades, apprenticeships and developmental programs. TRU also has a provincial mandate to provide open learning access through distance education and flexible degree-completion options."

Please add to this "Place" page as information becomes available, so that in sharing information we can learn from each other and strengthen our effectiveness in carbon-neutral and beyond carbon-neutral planning.

Contents

External Climate Change Commitments

Signatories to Statement of Action[1]? Yes.

Beyond Carbon Neutral Planning Contacts

TRU is home to several student organizations working on environmental sustainability and climate justice, the most active being the Thompson Rivers University Eco-Committee and the Activists Collective

Carbon Neutral and Beyond-Carbon Neutral Planning Initiatives

Policy

A strong commitment to environmental sustainability was included in TRU's 2007-2012 Strategic Plan [2] .

Governance

  • The TRU Environmental Advisory Committee [4]involves staff, administration, and students in planning for sustainability. TRU is also investigating creating a Associate Director, Sustainability position.

Buildings

Beyond carbon neutral initiatives in this area are not known. Please add as they become available!

Energy

  • Energy Team is looking at undertaking an energy audit and reducing TRU’s emissions

Transportation

  • TRU students have a U-Pass program [5], and the TRU Students' Union participates in the CFS We Ride campaign [6] to advocate for improved transit service.
  • Bike racks are available for cyclists near most buildings [7]

Food

  • An awareness campaign about the environmental impacts of bottled water was conducted on campus, and efforts to reduce waste (eg. disposable paper cups) have been made (Owens and Moore, 2008 pgs. 20, 22 [3]).

Waste

Purchasing

TRU is one of the few BC schools to include sustainability within its purchasing policy. According to the | TRU Purchasing department policy: "TRU purchasing department will take into consideration the effects on the environment that products or services will have, and will recommend substitutions or alternative solutions. The responsibility for environmentally responsible purchasing will be from the initial purchase to disposal. Purchasing will keep abreast Government regulations and controls as well as impending government actions and how they will impact the institution" [4].

Investments

Beyond carbon neutral initiatives in this area are not known. Please add as they become available!

Budgeting

Beyond carbon neutral initiatives in this area are not known. Please add as they become available!

Offsets

Beyond carbon neutral initiatives in this area are not known. Please add as they become available!

Education and Research

Courses at TRU include climate change, and several faculty list climate change as one of their areas of research.

Civic and Community Engagement

Beyond carbon neutral initiatives in this area are not known. Please add as they become available!

Other

  • TRU facilities moving to eco-friendly Green Seal approved cleaning products
  • TRU ECO Campus Club projects:
    • held TRU’s first Eco Vogue Fashion Show
    • ran a Faculty Footprint Challenge
    • made a YouTube video on recycling
    • hosted the first BC Sustainable Campuses Conference

References

  1. ↑ University and College Presidents' Climate Change Statement of Action for Canada. http://www.tupc.bc.ca/publications/Final-TUPC-Climate-Change-Action-Statement-Mar-11-08.pdf. Accessed August 2008.
  2. ↑ Thompson Rivers University 2007 - 2012 Strategic Plan. http://www.tru.ca/__shared/assets/2007-2012_strategic_plan8326.pdf. Accessed August 2008.
  3. ↑ Owens, Cameron, and Moore, Janet. 2008. Taking Stock 2008: The current state of sustainability in BC Universities and Colleges. Walking the Talk - BC Working Group and Network on Sustainability Education. http://www.walkingthetalk.bc.ca/files/TakingStock2008_0.pdfAccessed August 2008.
  4. ↑ Purchasing Policy and Responsibility. TRU Purchasing Department. http://www.tru.ca/purchasing/policies.html. Accessed August 2008.
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