¹û½´ÊÓƵ

Vision

Minimize the environmental footprint and support the health and wellbeing of ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s community by bringing the lenses of Sustainability & Climate Action to the forefront of the building’s operations and procurement practices.

Actions and Strategies

1:  Develop campus partnerships to support Sustainability & Climate Action at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

• Investigate, establish and deepen opportunities for campus partnerships focused on embedding Sustainability & Climate Action in conjunction with ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s Space Planning, Facilities & Services team   (in progress)

2:  Establish baseline data and targets to minimize ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s environmental footprint

• Collect baseline data related to ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s environmental footprint (e.g. energy, water, waste, recycling, indoor air quality, etc.)   (in progress)
• Explore how to establish and work towards targets that minimize ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s environmental footprint   (in progress)

3:  Develop resources to support sustainable procurement practices at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

• Review procurement processes at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ to identify opportunities for enhancing sustainability practices  (in progress)
• Develop a resource guide to support sustainable procurement practices at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

4:  Develop supports for sustainable transportation

• Monitor bike parking utilization at OISE and advocate for additional capacity as needed  (in progress)
• Establish an advisory committee to identify strategies to educate and encourage ¹û½´ÊÓƵ students, staff and faculty to use sustainable forms of transportation for travelling to and from ¹û½´ÊÓƵ 
• Identify ways that staff and faculty can minimize CO₂ emissions on ¹û½´ÊÓƵ-related travel  (completed ✔)

5:  Amplify a culture of conservation at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

• Develop educational campaigns to support the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ community in growing awareness and taking action on conservation practices 
• Deepen a culture of conservation at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ in relation to the use of energy, water, and waste (in progress)

6:  Improve ¹û½´ÊÓƵ spaces to support well-being

• Support the revitalization of the 5th floor patio to create new community space, a garden, and an Indigenous education and learning space   (in progress)
• Follow principles established by the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s academic leadership and Space Planning Committee to foster the health and wellbeing of ¹û½´ÊÓƵ community members   (in progress)

Vision

Broaden and deepen curricular and co-curricular learning centred on Sustainability & Climate Action at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ to enhance education’s critical role in creating a more just, equitable and sustainable future.

Actions and Strategies

1:  Develop Community-Engaged Learning opportunities related to Sustainability & Climate Action for ¹û½´ÊÓƵ students

• Conduct an inventory to identity how the SDGs and CEL (community-engaged learning) are being supported in ¹û½´ÊÓƵ courses   (in progress)
• Encourage ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s academic departments to review course offerings to potentially expand course-based opportunities for real world, experiential learning (e.g., ‘Agent of Change’ learning) connected to Sustainability & Climate Action   (in progress)
• Increase opportunities for Community-Engaged Learning connected to Sustainability & Climate Action through course work, teaching practica and internships   (in progress)

2:  Support curricular innovation towards sustainability

• Infuse Sustainability & Climate Action into a variety of existing courses in each ¹û½´ÊÓƵ department  (in progress)
• Explore new curricular pathways and programs for ¹û½´ÊÓƵ students related to Sustainability & Climate Action (e.g. collaborative programs with the School of the Environment; etc.)  (in progress)
• Construct a community of practice to support the development of critical, transformative, culturally-responsive pedagogy in relation to Environmental & Sustainability Education   (in progress)
• Develop programming to support teachers’ professional learning related to Sustainability & Climate Action   (in progress)

3:  Expand professional learning opportunities for students

• Secure funding for paid professional learning opportunities for ¹û½´ÊÓƵ students that develop knowledge and skills related to Sustainability & Climate Action (e.g. Graduate Assistantships, Research Assistantships, Work-Study Positions, etc.)    (in progress)
• Connect ¹û½´ÊÓƵ students with educational partners for professional learning opportunities related to Sustainability & Climate Action    (in progress)

4:  Strengthen staff and faculty capacity in relation to Sustainability and Climate Action

• Provide professional learning opportunities identified by staff and faculty in their shift to sustainability  (in progress)
• Help to build understanding about climate justice, particularly in relation to Indigenous communities, Indigenous environmental practices and sovereignty  (in progress)
• Consider sustainability expertise as an asset in the hiring of new staff and faculty

Vision

Enrich ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s capacity for and mobilization of educational research related to Sustainability & Climate Action while raising awareness about the sustainable management of research projects.

Actions and Strategies

1:  Provide supports for ¹û½´ÊÓƵ research in Sustainability & Climate Action

• Encourage ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s academic departments to review their capacity for educational research focused on Sustainability & Climate Action and pedadogy  (in process)
• Establish a new community hub that provides a supportive environment for transdisciplinary, participatory educational research into Sustainability & Climate Action  
• Initiate and support research partnerships related to Sustainability & Climate Action with educational partners across the university and in the community  (in process)

2:  Support knowledge mobilization of ¹û½´ÊÓƵ research in Sustainability & Climate Action

• Mobilize Sustainability & Climate Action research in the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ community and with its educational partners   (in process)
• Promote Sustainability & Climate Action research from ¹û½´ÊÓƵ through publications, events, conferences, celebrations and social media  (in process)

3:  Take action to address the environmental impacts of educational research at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

• Raise awareness about the environmental impacts of research activities (e.g. research-related travel)   (in process)
• Advocate for Sustainability & Climate Action to be considered as part of the University of Toronto’s and the Tri-Council’s ethics applications for research studies
• Raise awareness about minimizing CO₂ emissions related to ¹û½´ÊÓƵ research projects 

4:  Expand ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s capacity for educational research related to Sustainability & Climate Action

• Secure funding for graduate student involvement in research studies related to Sustainability & Climate Action (e.g. graduate and research assistant positions, work-study positions) (In progress)  (in process)
• Provide supports for a university-school board action research team related to Sustainability & Climate Action   (in process)
• Encourage the hiring of research-stream faculty at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ to expand capacity for educational research related to Sustainability & Climate Action

Vision

Engage the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ community and its partners in the collaborative development of Sustainability & Climate Action praxis to share through local and global outreach.

Actions and Strategies

1:  Improve communications about Sustainability & Climate Action across ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

• Share ongoing information about events, curricular/co-curricular learning and resources related to Sustainability & Climate Action with students, staff, faculty and ¹û½´ÊÓƵ partners   (in progress)
• Create an ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Sustainability Guide to welcome students to ¹û½´ÊÓƵ during Orientation by raising awareness about sustainability-related practices, courses, resources, and co-curricular learning (in progress)
• Develop an ¹û½´ÊÓƵ Sustainability Guide for students, staff and faculty to raise awareness about sustainability & climate action practices, guidelines, and resources  (completed ✔)

2:   Deepen connections between ¹û½´ÊÓƵ priorities and Sustainability & Climate Action

• Collaborate with the Dean’s Advisory Council on Indigenous Education (DACIE) to ensure that the voices of Indigenous staff, students and scholars are integral to Sustainability & Climate Action at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ  (in progress)
• Develop and expand connections between Sustainability & Climate Action and the existing priorities of ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s Academic Plan (Indigenization, Equity, Diversity & Accessibility, Wellbeing & Mental Health, Transformative & Innovative Pedagogy, Scholarship, and Collaboration & Internationalization)   (in progress)
• Ensure that Sustainability & Climate Action reflects the diversity of the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ community and its long-standing commitments to equity, anti-racism and inclusion   (in progress)

3:  Embed opportunities for community engagement in Sustainability & Climate Action across ¹û½´ÊÓƵ

• Provide multiple access points for students, staff & faculty to become involved in Sustainability & Climate Action at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ   (in progress)
• Host an annual event to share ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s ongoing progress on Sustainability & Climate Action   (in progress)

4:  Strengthen outreach related to Sustainability & Climate Action within and beyond the ¹û½´ÊÓƵ community

• Build and leverage campus and community partnerships to support Sustainability & Climate Action at ¹û½´ÊÓƵ   (in progress)
• Support and deepen the collaboration between OISE and the TDSB and other school boards to support Sustainability & Climate Action across the education sector   (in progress)
• Extend ¹û½´ÊÓƵ’s impact on Sustainability & Climate Action with educational partners locally, regionally, nationally and globally  (in progress)