The goBEYOND Campus Climate Network engages students, faculty, staff and community partners at post-secondary institutions. Our goal is to move schools beyond climate-neutral - taking responsibility for our social and ecological impacts while taking the opportunity to create climate change solutions for our communities!
The goBeyond Campus Climate Network is composed of over 20 colleges and universities across the province, and is collaboratively supported by the UBC Sustainability Office, Common Energy, and the Sierra Youth Coalition.
goBEYOND is made possible by generous contributions BC Hydro, the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions, the BC Government and Service Employees Union, and the Capital Regional District.
goBeyond Steering Committee
goBeyond is governed by a Steering Committee composed of an elected board of directors and a representative from each of our strategic partners. Core staff also sit on the steering committee, ex-officio.
Maggie Baynham - Director
Maggie Baynham is a graduate student in Urban Planning at UBC and a founding member of the goBEYOND Project. She believes that colleges and universities can be innovators of sustainability solutions and that these solutions can be developed through hands-on learning in the classroom of every discipline. Maggie has been involved in supporting youth-driven sustainability and climate initiatives on campuses for six years: she started off by volunteering for local student organizations on her campus and then worked as the BC Coordinator for Sierra Youth Coalition's Sustainable Campuses Project. She was the first Project Manager for goBEYOND and has enjoyed continued involvement through the Steering Committee where she is able to offer experience and institutional memory. Maggie hopes to continue on as a director for 1 year as goBEYOND matures and help to foster new leadership and energy within the organization.
Jamie Biggar - Representative Common Energy
Jamie Biggar is the Common Energy representative on the Steering Committee. He is one of Common Energy's co-founders and helped build goBEYOND. Jamie has completed graduate research at UVic on the role of universities in achieving regional sustainability and he is now working as Executive Director at LeadNow, an online democracy and activism start-up.
Liz Ferris - Representative UBC Sustainability Office
Liz is a founding member and UBC Campus Sustainability Office representative for the goBEYOND project. She believes whole-heartedly in the goBEYOND mission that we must begin to do more to solve the problems of climate change than we do to cause them, and is a passionate facilitator who is inspired by bringing together groups of people to do just that.
After finishing her B.Sc in Sustainable Community Development, Liz created a position for herself within the UBC Campus Sustainablity office, eventually becoming the Climate Action Coordinator. In this role, Liz oversaw the development of UBC's Climate Action Plan, a board endorsed document which sets dramatic emissions reductions targets for the University's core operations. During this time, she was also instrumental in creating the administrative and financial structures necessary to support the growth of goBEYOND.
In December 2010, Liz attended the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen, Denmark, interning with Tzeporah Berman and Power Up Canada. Currently Liz is working on her M.Sc at UBC's Institute for Resources, Environment and Sustainability, where she is examining what role cities can play in mitigating climate change. She is also developing an undergraduate applied sustainability course with her supervisor Dr. Gunilla Oberg, and works part time at the UBC Sustainability Office.
Theresa Fresco - Director
Theresa Fresco has been an active member of the goBeyond steering committee since 2009 and is also a Masters student at UBC’s School of Community and Regional Planning. She was one of the representatives for goBEYOND at the United Nation Environment Program’s ‘Sustainability Generation’ workshop in Nairobi, Kenya in April 2009 and has since been the chair of the International Working Group. Partnering with Kenyan students met at the workshop, the IWG participated in and helped organize goBEYOND’s first international Teach-In on climate justice. The Teach-In mobilized over 100 interdisciplinary faculty and students in Canada and at Kenya’s Jomo Kenyatta University to speak about climate justice in their classes and formulate projects.
In addition to these activities, Theresa works at UBC’s Sustainability Office as the coordinator for the Residence Sustainability Coordinator (ResSC) Program which encourages and supports sustainability initiatives for and by students in the residences on campus. She is also the Alma Mater Society representative for the Planning Students Association. Her areas of interest include climate and environmental justice as well as climate issues within the field of international development.
Gary Guo - Director
Gary Guo is a student in engineering at Capilano University. He is an international student and comes from China Beijing. Before he came to Canada, he was the organizer of the environmental group at Northern China University of Technology and a co-organizer for Green Camp China, a national youth environmental group. Gary also works and volunteers for Greenpeace China and Greenpeace Canada.
Gary has been involved with the goBeyond project since May 2008, while the first goBeyond summit was hosted at Langara College. After the first summit, he attended most goBeyond events and conferences and has often acted as the official photographer for most goBeyond events. In the future, Gary hopes to be involved in this project at a deeper level. Gary will use the strength of his Chinese and international student background to engage more international and Asian students in climate action.
Brendan Guy - Director
Brendan Guy is a graduating UBC student majoring in Natural Resources Conservation. Brendan’s passion is educating and engaging students in dialogue about climate change and sustainability issues. He has been a member of the student group Common Energy UBC for the past two years. In his second year with the group, Brendan coordinated two groups of students working on climate change education and dialogue. Successful initiatives put on by these two groups included a two-day conference on climate action, facilitation of the goBEYOND Teach-In, and a campaign to show student support for UBC’s Sustainability Academic Strategy.
Brendan is eager to take his experience gained through working with Common Energy to continue to move BC’s post-secondary institutions beyond climate neutral. He will be returning to UBC in September to work towards his professional biologist designation as well as taking courses towards his Masters degree. Brendan plans on having plenty of time to devote to collaborating with campus community members to foster a culture of climate action at BC’s post-secondary institutions.
Maggie Knight - Representative Sierra Youth Coalition
Hailing from Victoria, BC, Maggie Knight grew up in the natural splendour of the West Coast and has been passionate about the environment ever since. A fourth year Environment & Economics student at McGill University, Maggie is active in Canada’s youth climate movement sitting on the Sierra Youth Coalition's Executive Committee and serving as National Outreach and Recruitment Coordinator for Power Shift Canada in 2009. She previously worked for goBeyond and SYC for two summers in BC organizing the 2007 and 2008 Youth Action Gatherings. She also worked for two and a half years as Environment Commissioner for the Students’ Society of McGill University supporting researchers to communicate the impact of climate change on Arctic communities. Maggie is passionate about youth empowerment, sustainable and inclusive leadership, anti-oppression, and the power of media to create social change. Maggie is proud to represent the Sierra Youth Coalition on goBeyond's steering committee and welcomes the opportunity to stay involved in her home province's sustainability scene.
Ajay Puri - Director
Ajay is a movement builder and avid advocate for progressive, green & culturally inclusive policies, groups and events. He has co-founded and continues to co-lead Canadians for Obama, East of Main,Rangi Changi Roots, Bridge to a Cool Planet (which in 2010 is the Vancouver People's Summit), and the Ethno-cultural Health Research & Community Network.
For the past eight years he's worked in the health sector to bring about positive change for vulnerable populations (sex workers, homeless, people suffering from mental illness & addictions, seniors- and youth-at-risk) and acute settings. He currently is conducting his Doctoral work at the School of Population and Public Health at UBC, examining how to bring about Transformative Change and Cultural Diversity in Healthcare Service Provision.
Spencer Rasmussen - Director
Spencer is a UBC student who has been with goBEYOND since the beginning. After spending two years as goBEYOND's UBC Coordinator and the summer in between organizing the Youth Action Gathering, he was elected to the board of directors. Over that time Spencer saw firsthand the value of goBEYOND as Common Energy UBC grew from 5 to 20 members. He believes passionately in the potential for our colleges and universities to create and implement climate solutions - and the role of students organizing to make it happen. Other activities include a political action organization called LeadNow and serving on UBC's Senate. Spencer is also an undergraduate in political science and economics and loves a good discussion.
Adam Thomas - Director
Adam Thomas is a Carrier man from Saik'uz First Nations reserve. Saik’uz First Nations is one of eight First Nations communities that comprise the Carrier Sekani Tribal Council. As a member of the Grouse clan and a university student, Adam is continuously learning his Carrier ways and the Traditional Ecological Knowledge of his territory. He is currently a second year Environmental Planning student majoring in First Nations Planning at the University of Northern British Columbia (UNBC). During the past year at UNBC he has been a part of the Northern Undergraduate Student Society (NUGSS), serving as the First Nations Representative. Currently, he is working to create a First Nations seat on the Green Committee. Among other things, Adam is also an advocate for Indigenous rights and climate justice and is involved with organizations such as the Indigenous Environmental Network who pressure the Canadian government to take action against climate change and end our addiction to oil and gas. Respect, passion and leadership are the driving forces which have helped him achieve all of his goals during his time at UNBC. This is Adam’s first year working with goBEYOND. He is excited to build relationships with other members and to continue learning.
goBeyond Core Staff
Sarah Stoner - Project Manager
Ashley Webster - Special Projects Coordinator
Ashley is a Masters candidate in Urban Studies at Simon Fraser University studying community engagement, municipal governance, social economy, and urban resilience. He has also been a research assistant with the BC Working Group for Sustainability Education where he coauthored a report on how post secondary institutions in BC are responding to carbon neutral legislation. His diverse professional experience includes event management and volunteer coordination, financial management, media, information technology, and manufacturing. Ashley's mission is to create a world he will be proud to pass on to his son.
The UBC Sustainability Office
The UBC-SO creates a culture of sustainability at the University of British Columbia. In 1998, UBC became Canada's first university to open a Sustainability Office. Funding for the office is generated through energy savings from the EcoTrek energy retrofit program. Its programs have campus-wide reach, working towards systematically institutionalizing sustainability in every aspect of campus life, including learning, teaching, research, operations, living, working, and external alliances.
The UBC-SO is engaging students, staff, faculty and administrators in a participatory process to build a comprehensive climate-management strategy for the university. Since June, 2007, the UBC community has been working on a climate plan that integrates teaching and learning into strategies that reduce GHG emissions on campus. To date, the project has successfully completed the campus' GHG emissions baseline, engaged students and professors in directed studies and course work that examines innovative ways to reduce GHG emissions on campus, launched a climate strategy consultation process, and begun the process of moving UBC beyond climate-neutral.
In March, the Sustainability Office will launch its first climate roundtable discussion that will bring together community members in the development of issues-based strategies to reduce GHG emissions, enhance teaching and learning at the university and advance UBC's research that is serving the public good. Through working with Common Energy UBC, the sustainability office has used the Go Beyond campaign to raise awareness of the climate-planning process.
University of BC
Common Energy
Common Energy develops relationships between students, staff, faculty, and regional partners at B.C. universities and colleges to move these institutions beyond climate-neutral. Common Energy UBC was one of the key stakeholders that helped get UBC's Climate Action Partnership off the ground. More recently, they are helping to define students' role in collaborative climate change planning, and have been playing a large role in running the education round table, which will help set UBC's direction for future curriculum as it pertains to the university's climate strategy.
Common Energy UVic has deployed a large-scale collaborative planning process to develop the first comprehensive beyond climate-neutral strategy. The strategy integrates UVic's education, research, operations, and external relations to both go climate-neutral in its operations and go beyond climate-neutral by supporting solutions in its region. Hundreds of students, staff, faculty, and regional partners have been directly engaged in developing the plan through multiple conferences, working groups, a wiki website, and direct feedback. The process has developed many innovative strategies, cultivated the support it needs, and created the relationships necessary to implement the plan. In the process, Common Energy UVic has developed extensive knowledge on climate solutions in many areas, in collaborative planning processes, and in youth leadership and skills development.
Common Energy
The Sierra Youth Coalition
The SYC is the youth arm of the Sierra Club of Canada and all of the programs are run entirely by youth, for youth. The Sustainable Campuses Project is the largest SYC program, working with over 50 university and college campuses, and maintaining the largest network of students, faculty and professionals working on campus sustainability issues in Canada.
This 11 year-old program aims to empower students with training, resources, and access to regional and national networks, in order to institutionalize sustainability through campus operations, curricula and community member attitudes. As Sustainable Campuses is focused on institutionalizing sustainability, we've been an integral part in the student-led initiatives that have seen policies, multi-stakeholder processes, assessments, sustainability strategies, and long-term initiatives become the fabric of many institutions. SYC supports students by providing campus visits, organizing annual conferences, and supplying the tools, resources, success stories, training, and networks that are necessary for their initiative to be successful. It has been working to build the current community of student leaders across B.C. for nearly two years.
Over the past two years we have been an active partner within the Canada-U.S. Energy Action Coalition, and have been working with over 38 organizations to deliver climate action programs and support to students. Over a six-month period in 2006/2007 SYC supported 9 schools to undertake and complete campus greenhouse gas emission inventories, and worked with over 800 youth climate leaders and volunteers to undertake climate change initiatives, while exposing nearly 20,000 of their peers to this work. In BC, SYC is ready to take this work to the next level and support the transition to an education system that goes beyond climate-neutral.
Sierra Youth
Our Funders
goBEYOND would like to thank the following funders for making our project possible .
As the third largest electric utility in Canada, BC Hydro serves customers in an area [PDF, 140 Kb] containing over 94% of British Columbia's population.
BC Hydro endeavours to provide energy solutions to its customers in an environmentally and socially responsible way by balancing British Columbians' energy needs with the concerns of the environment.
Vancouver Foundation helps people give back to the communities they care about, in a way that is simple, convenient and lasting.
We are the largest of Canada's 160 community foundations. We've been around since 1943. Our focus is on improving our communities -- the places where we all live, work, play and raise our kids. The place we call home.
Capital Region Disctrict Climate Action Project
The CRD Climate Action Program was established in 2009 and acts as a resource, hub and facilitator on climate change issues in the CRD. The program serves and works in cooperation with local governments, electoral areas, non-profit organizations, the public and private sector and local citizens to reduce emissions and build capacity for “future friendly” communities on Southern Vancouver Island.
Building on the strengths of BC’s four research-intensive universities, the Pacific Institute for Climate Solutions (PICS) will harness the intellectual resources of BC to develop innovative climate change solutions, seek new opportunities for
positive adaptation, and lead the way to a vibrant low-carbon economy.
BC Government and Services Employee Unions
The BCGEU is one of the most diverse unions in British Columbia. We represent approximately 65,000 men and women in more than 550 bargaining units. Our union can trace its beginnings back to the early 1900s when provincial government employees formed an association to address their working conditions. Since then, the union has organized thousands of workers outside the government service.
BC Hydro
University of Northern British Columbia - Students for a Green University
At UNBC in Prince George, Students for a Green University have been engaged with the goBEYOND project since September, 2008. Our campus has a population of about 3,000 students, of which 20 times the national average are enrolled in environmental programs. We also have an extremely high proportion of research activity focused on the environment. UNBC is contained in one centrally heated building and is surrounded by forest on all sides. We recognize these unique features and believe that they leave us well set up to move UNBC beyond climate-neutral. Students for a Green University are focusing on the transformative education and collaborative planning pillars of the goBEYOND project. Through initiatives such as the Teach-In, and through working with the Green University Committee we hope to develop UNBC as a leader in campus sustainability and climate change education so that students embarking into careers have an understanding of the issues and solutions that can be applied in their working and personal lives.
UNBC - Canada's Green UniversityThompson Rivers University - TRU Eco
TRU eco, at Thompson Rivers University has been an active group since 2006. We have completed many cool projects and always have a number on the go. We held the 2008 SYC sustainable Campuses Conference, and recently held a sustainability week, featuring many great events such as a waste audit, a Climate Project Canada speaker, a local and organic community kitchen, and a stuff swap. We were one of the three campus to participate in the goBEYOND pilot project. TRU (located in Kamloops) is a fairly small campus with around 10,000 students. We have a great active student body as well as a highly engaged faculty, and have been working with our administration to make the institution more sustainable as an official member of the TRU Environmental Action Committee.
TRU Eco CommitteeCamosun College - Camosun Students for Environmental Awareness
Located in Victoria, Camosun College and CSEA have been working towards the official launch of the goBEYOND Project on campus since September 2008. Many of the college's 8,000 students and 500 members of faculty have shown great enthusiasm in regards to helping solve the climate crisis we face today. As seen in the incredible growth of our environmental technology program, students are also determined to solve the ecological problems of the future. Since September 2005, CSEA has seen accomplishments in many areas, such as electing a sustainability director within the Student Society, establishing a regular column in the school's newspaper, and becoming one of the first post secondary institutions to implement 100% post-consumer recycled paper in all of the photocopiers and printers. A few of the many projects the group is working on right now include introducing sustainable food in the cafeteria, establishing a more extensive composting network on campus, and growing fruit trees and an organic garden for environmental and academic benefits. CSEA is looking forward to working with the Campus Climate Network, and hopes to be a strong member of the goBEYOND Project.
Camosun Students for Environmental AwarenessUniversity of British Columbia - Common Energy UBC
Common Energy UBC is a student group working in dynamic ways to move our UBC campus beyond climate-neutral. We envision UBC setting an example of the political, social, environmental, and economic solutions needed to build liveable futures in the context of the climate crisis. Common Energy has another hub at The University of Victoria.
Common EnergyCapilano University - goBeyond Capilano
The North Vancouver campus of Capilano University is one of the latest institutions to join the goBeyond Project. Capilano has a student population of 6500, the majority of which has been recruited directly from North Vancouver. While the campus offers an array of programs from business to performing arts, from tourism to sustainable development, and from applied science to liberal arts, goBeyond hopes to draw the attention of each field of study to the importance of environmental responsibility within the context of each respective field. The Capilano students of goBeyond plan to create these efforts through the Teach-In initiative, and by collaborating with the few already established environmental projects taking place on campus.
Capilano UniversityUniversity of Victoria - Common Energy UVic
Common Energy is a network that develops relationships
between students, staff, faculty, and regional partners
at universities and colleges to move these institutions
beyond climate neutral.
To move beyond climate neutral an individual or organization
must do more to solve the problems of climate change
than they do to cause them.
How can you do more to solve the problems of climate change
than you do to cause them?
Vancouver Island University - Solutions: A Sustainability Network
In April 2006 an impromptu gathering of students, faculty, staff, and community members who were concerned about climate change convened as the Malaspina Climate Change Group (MCCG). In September 2006 we hosted the Fall Climate of Change Fair highlighting local solutions to a global problem. The Fair was a success in that it raised awareness, called for action, and expanded our network.
As more students got involved, we also expanded our areas of interest to include other ecological, social and economic challenges. We renamed our group Solutions: A Sustainability Network in January 2007.
We are a growing coalition of people and organizations working to promote a culture of sustainability at Vancouver Island University and in the community.
Solutions: A Sustainability NetworkSimon Fraser University - Sustainable SFU
Simon Fraser University
Ranked by respected national surveys as one of Canada’s top three comprehensive universities for almost 20 years. SFU has approximately 32,000 students, more than 900 faculty and more than 100,000 alumni. Spanning many disciplines in eight faculties, SFU offers more than 100 undergraduate major and joint major programs and more than 45 graduate offerings.
SFU is dedicated to advancing global sustainability. Our initiatives include operational, academic and community related projects and ongoing programs.
Recent accomplishments include:
• The development of SFU’s Sustainability Policy (GP38)
• The creation of a full-time continuing Sustainability Coordinator Position
• Development of faculty and student working sub-committees which contribute to the Sustainability Advisory Committee strategic planning
• Completion of 2009-2013 Strategic Sustainability Plan
• Development of an Energy Committee in Facilities Services to identify and act on energy saving opportunities
More information can be found at www.sfu.ca/sustainability or by contacting Candace Le Roy (nee Bonfield) at cbonfield@sfu.ca
University of British Columbia - Okanagan - Office of Workplace Health and Safety
Envisioning a healthy sustainable future
Welcome! Here, you will discover the resources, systems, activities and connections to support your personal and social health and wellbeing, and the health and sustainability of our campus community.
Mission
The mission of the Office of Workplace Health and Sustainability is to lead and facilitate the advancement of a culture of health and sustainability at UBC Okanagan by building and supporting the growth of its social, cultural, ecological and economic sustainability.
Vision
The Office of Workplace Health and Sustainability is a living workspace for a healthy, sustainable workplace, through leadership, shared learning and innovation.
Our Role
- Lead, develop, promote and sponsor workplace health and sustainability strategies and initiatives across campus.
- Engage, support and collaborate with the many sustainability and health champions at UBC Okanagan.
- Help build the capacity of our campus community to apply healthy and sustainable workplace and people practices.
- Provide a central resource or “come to” place – physically and virtually - for direct service or referral to assist faculty and staff with health related concerns and the integration of work-life and family responsibilities.
- Facilitate appropriate support and accommodation to prevent absence from work and promote the early return to productive work of injured and ill faculty and staff.
- Coordinate the development and communication of public health information strategies.
Capilano University - Sustainability on Campus
Capilano University is committed to the environment and the University’s role as environmental steward.
As natural resources become scarcer, Capilano University is taking steps to reduce our institution’s impact on the environment while meeting the Provincial Government Climate Action legislated requirements to become carbon neutral by 2010 and to make public a report every year detailing actions taken towards carbon neutrality.
In August 2008, we completed a baseline energy audit of each of our campuses and are actively engaged in identifying and implementing changes that will result in a reduction of our impact on the environment. Changes to date include increased energy usage awareness and conservation practices, adoption of a Sustainability Policy, expanded recycling programs and increased community awareness of the need to improve our waste management.
President Greg Lee has made a powerful statement for sustainability by signing the University and College Presidents’ CLIMATE CHANGE STATEMENT OF ACTION in addition to the recent renewal of our BC Hydro Power Smart Partner Conservation Awareness Pledge
Sustainability on CampusRoyal Roads University - Office of Sustainability
A challenge for our time
At Royal Roads University, we are determined to act on environmental leadership because we see climate change as one of the most critical challenges of our time.
Environmental sustainability is not only intrinsically linked to RRU’s teaching and research mandate, it is a challenge that calls for the kind of interdisciplinary and collaborative problem-solving at which Royal Roads excels.
The most recent articulation of RRU’s role in safeguarding the environment is the Royal Roads University Sustainability Plan.
The five overarching initiatives of the plan, developed against the backdrop of B.C.’s Climate Action plans, are tied to:
• Greenhouse gas management
• Going grid-positive
• Campus transportation
• Building & heritage conservation projects
• University stewardship plans
