People biking along the canal. One person in the center of the photo is wearing a pink helmet and is looking at her phone.
2022-23 Zero Waste Progress
Discover what Concordia is doing to achieve its 2025 zero waste targets.
VISION FOR 2040
By 2040, Concordia will aim to achieve, through a dynamic, integrated, engaged Zero Waste Concordia Program:
90% diversion of material waste from landfill through compost, recycling, and material reuse
50% reduction of total material waste (per full-time equivalent) through programs that encourage low-waste purchasing and materials reuse
Overview of Zero Waste Strategies
EXPLORE INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS TO WASTE REDUCTION & DIVERSION
Target
- Nudge waste reduction and diversion performance beyond best practices and foster an innovative, curriculum, and research-integrated program
Status
- Ongoing
Wastescapes
Concordia faculty Liz Miller and MJ Thompson initiated WasteScapes with a field course. The course was a response to an open call at the university to teach an inter-disciplinary course in response to a “wicked problem.” With environmental justice as a key critical lens, they proposed to explore the many scales of waste from individual to institutional, from local to global, and to consider the role of policy and governance in addressing the complex and inevitable place of waste in our lives. The WasteScapes App was later developed to work with other Montreal educators. The 41 sites and six tours that make up the WasteScapes App were developed with the talent and support of many graduate and undergraduate students at Concordia.
Data since inception:
An estimated 350 WasteScapes App users
10 guided WasteScapes tours have been given
Integration of the app into two Communication Studies courses and one CEGEP course at Dawson on Interactive Media
Photo by Liz Miller
Photo by Lisa Graves
Sustainability Living Lab Funding Program projects related to waste
Concordia Precious Plastics Project
Concordia Precious Plastics Project (CP3) is an innovation project that addresses the plastic crisis by repurposing Concordia University’s plastic waste for the communities of Montreal.
2022-23 Metrics:
Quantity of diverted plastic waste: 73kg
Number of internships: 3
Number of community-engagement events: 5
Calls to Action
Check out the WasteScapes App
Visit Concordia’s Digitizing Waste webpage to learn more
Become part of the CP3 team and check out their online store
Learn about waste sorting at Concordia by playing the video game Waste Invaders located on 7th floor of Hall building
Related Sustainable Development Goal
UPSTREAM INTERVENTIONS & CIRCULAR ECONOMY
Target
- Continue to support and expand reuse initiatives and create procurement policies & procedures favoring waste reduction and reuse
Status
- Ongoing
Efforts supporting this target
Concordia’s new beverage contract stipulates that by the end of 2025 all plastic bottles, including soda, will be removed from vending machines
E-waste project coordinated through Zero Waste Concordia is the winner of the 2022 Big Hairy Ideas Competition
Calls to Action
Looking for used furniture for your office on campus? Or have old furniture that is broken, out of style or worn out? Visit the equipment and furniture reuse webpage to submit a request
Find out how the Cano reusable cup program works and participating cafés
Related Sustainable Development Goal
WASTE MANAGEMENT BEST PRACTICES
Target
- Bring waste performance to a competitive level, based on comparison with top performing universities, by continuing to implement best practice initiatives
Status
- Ongoing
Zero Waste Culture Change 2022-23
- Number of participants in Zero Waste Week/Challenge: 107 participants
- Concordia Community Clean-Up Participants (October 2022): 45 Participants – This was a collaboration with the John Molson Sustainable Enterprise (JSEC) and the John Molson International Business (JMIBA)
- Number of Zero Waste Instagram followers: 3,589
- Number of new followers in 2022-23: 296
Zero Waste Events 2022-23
- Zero Waste Event Services Requests: 83 requests
- Waste Bin Requests: 31 requests
Efforts supporting this target
2023 Waste Audit: Four Student Sustainability Ambassadors collaborated to implement and analyze how effectively Concordia’s available waste sorting is used by the community and provide recommendations for improvement. They collaborated heavily with Faisal Shennib and Zero Waste Concordia to ensure data was accurately collected and welcome the support of student volunteers. Final Report coming soon!
Eleven Employee Sustainability Ambassadors received targeted training from the Zero Waste team with the goal of increasing sustainability awareness and knowledge among colleagues and engaging colleagues in activities that advance sustainability at Concordia
Calls to Action
Make your event zero-waste using zero-waste event services and receive recognition for your efforts through the Sustainable Event Program
Visit the Concordia community clean-up webpage to find out when the next clean-up is scheduled and sign-up!
Want to learn more about zero-waste best practices for your office and teach your colleagues about it? Register to become an employee sustainability ambassador
Related Sustainable Development Goal
