December 5, 2024

By ELISSA DEN HOED

What does Gumby have in common with the Environmental Action Committee? They’re both green! The EAC is looking for members who are passionate about creating a sustainable Conestoga. Meetings will be held every two weeks and will feature a variety of guest speakers, each of whom is an expert in some area of sustainability.
Their goal is to create new policies and initiatives, and also be the ones to implement the changes. Anyone can join: students, faculty, neighbours. Membership is free and members are welcomed and encouraged to contribute ideas as to how Conestoga can be made “greener.”
Returning students might remember them as the Green Committee. President Zoey Ross said the old name was too “trendy” and less mature-sounding. “Green is symbolic of grass and trees and earth but sustainable and environmental initiatives are about more than that,” said Ross, who is also CSI’s director of sustainability. They just got a new logo, designed by CSI’s in-house graphic designer Kelsi Wilson, to go with their new focus.
It held its first official meeting on Oct. 13, featuring guest speaker Alan Griffiths, sustainable initiatives co-ordinator at Mohawk College, as well as some talk about what the committee hopes to see happen this year. Some projects that EAC is excited to see come to fruition are a community garden at the Cambridge campus, solar panels on the roof of the Doon campus and a large industrial composter to be used to break down organic waste generated on campus. They are also looking forward to holding a waste audit in the Atrium. The first official EAC activity was a contest open to anyone found using a reusable mug or water bottle during the nation-wide Waste Reduction Week. A total of 354 people participated in the contest, which had three grand prize winners. Ross estimates that the contest made an “impression” on over 1,000 people at Conestoga’s four campuses.
The committee encourages new members to help make an impact on the environment in their own college community in an exciting, hands-on way. To join, go to conestogastudents.com, register, look under the Clubs tab for the Environmental Action Committee, and click on Join.
The next EAC meeting is scheduled for Nov. 7 at 6 p.m. in Room 2A111. It will feature guest speaker Court Desault, general manager of Kitchener’s Borealis restaurant, and, according to Ross, expert in local food.
Zoey Ross can be reached by visiting his CSI office in Room 2A106; by calling 519-748-5131, ext. 33, or by email at dross@conestogac.on.ca.

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