Become a sustainable Concordian

Want to get involved in sustainability? Looking for some tips on how to lighten your ecological footprint on campus? Concordia offers students, staff and faculty more ways to get involved in campus sustainability efforts than you’ll find time for.

Sustainability Report Cards

Concordia actively measures its sustainability performance and works diligently to improve it. Since 2003, students have collaborated with the university administration on four campus-wide sustainability assessments.

In 2017, Concordia received a STARS gold rating from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.

Stay informed on the progress of planning for a sustainable future at Concordia, or deepen your involvement by joining the Sustainability Hub Workgroup.

Sustainable Transport: biking and more

During Concordia’s last Commuter Habit Survey, in 2017, over 92 per cent of students and 84 per cent of employees reported using sustainable commuting options such as walking, biking, public transportation, shuttle bus and carpooling.

Concordia is also certified as a silver level Velo Sympathique campus for its bike-friendly facilities and bike education efforts at the downtown Sir George Williams Campus.

Follow these five tips for low-impact commuting to and from Concordia:

• Register for the secure bike parking facility to keep your bike safe downtown
• Find out where to pick up a BIXI on campus and get a discount on your membership
• Fix up your bike at Le Petit Velo Rouge (LOY) and at Right to Move (SGW)
• Get a student rate OPUS card to zip around the city on public transport
• Use the frequent, free shuttle bus service between campuses

Local and Fair Trade Food

We are a Fair Trade certified campus, and Concordia Food Services has ambitious targets for local and sustainable food sourcing. To encourage local and sustainable food at Concordia, look for the Aliments du Quebec and Fair Trade logos at all Concordia Food Services outlets!

You can get your hands dirty by joining the Concordia Greenhouse or City Farm School. And you can also register for the upcoming Resetting the Table conference on food security, hosted by Concordia and the Concordia Food Coalition.

Green Buildings

Concordia is the most energy efficient of Quebec’s six largest universities and has three LEED certified buildings! The Centre for Structural and Functional Genomics (LEED Gold in 2013), the PERFORM Centre, (LEED Gold in 2012), the John Molson School of Business (LEED Silver in 2012). The new Science HUB is aiming for LEED certification.

Zero Waste Concordia

Concordia is in the midst of planning for ambitious waste reduction and diversion performance through its Zero Waste Concordia program. You can help make a dent on landfill waste by composting, reusing, and recycling coffee cups. Or submit your own waste-busting idea to the program.

Sustainable Events

If you’re organizing a back-to-school event, make sure your participants don’t leave with a disposable coffee cup! Learn how to organize a sustainable event!

Sustainability Research

Doing some sustainability research? Consult the sustainability research guide and learn about Concordia’s sustainability research centres.

How to get involved

You can help educate your peers by becoming a Sustainability Ambassador, or connect with student sustainability groups like Sustainable Concordia. If you have a great campus project idea, pitch it to the Sustainability Action Fund. Or, if you’ve brainstormed a great way to reduce the stuff Concordia sends to landfills, pitch it to the Zero Waste Concordia program.

Find out more about sustainability at Concordia.