Looking into the future:An Environmental Centre

at McGill

Environmental Centre Task Force

Sub-Committee on the Environment

Sophie Mazowita & Violet Compton

• Introduction • Current situation• Leading examples

•University of British Columbia•University of Toronto•Harvard University

• Taking initiative at McGill• Conclusions

• ECTF formed in November 2005 • Who we are• Goals

– ECTF’s vision– McGill’s mission

Introduction

What McGill offers:

• Recycling program• Paper use policy• Energy reduction week• Clean & green• Student-run campus groups

– green initiatives, sustainability, composting

• Bicycle-share program

• 1 full-time position, 3 part-time students

Taking initiative at McGill

University of British Columbia

• Founded 1998 $50,000 seed funding• 3 full-time & 2 part-time staff• Energy retrofit management office autonomy• Directed by Land & Buildings Services

– under VP Admin & Finance

Leading examples

University of Toronto

• Established 2005 from Toronto Atmospheric Fund grant• 5 full-time staff, several work study

positions• Joint direction:

–Centre for Environment–Utilities and Building Services

• Central goal of energy use reduction

Leading examples

Harvard University

• Harvard University Green Campus Initiative - established 2000

• $70,000 grant for a strategic sustainability plan at the university• 13 full-time staff, 40 part-time positions• Campus utility costs reduced by over

$1 million/year– GHG reduction of >20 million lbs CO2

Leading examples

What McGill should offer:

• Exhaustive recycling program• Campus utility & GHG reductions• Transportation alternatives• Sustainability workshops & education• An environmental resource library• Meeting place

• A physical space on campus

Taking initiative at McGill

Why?? • Talloires & Halifax declarations• Montreal Sustainable Development Plan• 2008 Policy on Residual Material Management • Ratification of Kyoto• Benefit to the McGill community

Taking initiative at McGill

What McGill NEEDS:

• A physical space on campus– Environmental Centre

• Funding– Student research position– Credit for change

Taking initiative at McGill

• ECTF future goals:– continued research– gathering community support

and publicizing

Conclusions