Since the very beginning of time, the lowly disposable coffee cup has been much maligned by recycling enthusiasts and environmentalists across our fair planet.  In such circles, the only thing worse than a coffee cup in a recycling bin was a half-full coffee cup in a recycling bin.  And lo, in July of the year 2026, we’ve at long last been relieved of this grim fate!  Let it ring from the hilltops far and wide; Coffee cups are now recyclable!

Yes, that’s right, your empty disposable paper cups (coffee, slushies, and soda pops) can finally be put into recycling bins, here at the College as well as at home. Clear plastic cups and lids for cold drinks (like iced coffee) can also be recycled.

Please note that you cannot recycle any paper/plastic straws, coffee cup lids, foam cups, or black plastics. Those items should be placed in the trash.

So what happens to my recycled cup?

Unfortunately, the recycling industry is based on the marketability (price paid) for whatever a recycled product can be processed into. Disposable paper cups have a plastic lining in them that is expensive to process and separate into paper pulp/plastic or, alternatively, if not separated these cups create a low-value plasticky-paper end-product. 

But!  The price of recycled paper has steadily risen over the years.  As society has steadily used less paper products for things like newspapers, magazines and office printers, the recycled paper industry is now looking for other sources of paper they can recycle.  Similar to how an envelope with a little plastic window in it can be recycled, a coffee cup can also be recycled, as a certain amount of plastic “contamination” is deemed acceptable in the pulp and paper process.  So recently our recycling materials sorting facility has begun incorporating small amounts of disposable cups in their mixed paper recycling bales and the amount of plastic that ends up in the recycled paper product is still deemed within acceptable limits. 

What?  My recycled cup just turns into plasticky paper? 

We never said recycling was pretty!  And paper with a small amount of plastic in it still beats a cup being used once and then going straight into the landfill.  If you really want to make a difference, skip the single-use cup altogether and bring a refillable travel mug to put your drinks into.  Not only is it better for the planet, but you’ll get a discount on your drink: 10 cents off at Tim Horton’s & Voyageur Café and 25 cents off at Culinary Exchange.  Not bad!

Last but not least: before throwing your cups into the recycling bin please be sure to dump out any unfinished liquids into a nearby sink.  Throwing a half-full cup of coffee in the recycling bin can ruin the recyclability of all of the paper products in that bin, which kind of defeats the whole purpose of recycling the cup in the first place!

Last spring, we launched the Student Sustainability Volunteer Program with a simple idea: give students more opportunities to get involved in sustainability at RRC Polytech through hands-on activities.

Over the spring and summer, students joined us for activities across campus, from RED Forum and Bike to Work Day to campus clean-ups, gardening, preparing hundreds of succulents, and welcoming new students at Red River Ready.

With the fall term beginning, we’re ready to welcome new volunteers.

Join Us This Fall

If you’re interested in joining us, come to our Fall Onboarding Session. We’ll talk about how the program works, what we have coming up, and the different ways you can participate.

The session will take place on September 9 at 1:00 p.m. You can join:

• In person: T206, NDC
• Online: Teams

You don’t need to commit to every activity. Sign up for the program, see what’s coming up, and join us when something works for you.

We invite you to register for the Student Sustainability Volunteer Program and the Fall Onboarding Session using this link: Student Sustainability Volunteer Program Fall 2026

What Have Our Volunteers Been Up To?

Our first activity was RED Forum, where volunteers helped at the Sustainability booth, shared information about our initiatives and had a chance to meet staff from across the College. We also gave away tomato, basil and flower seedlings leftover from our spring plant workshops.

For Bike to Work Day, we started early! Volunteers joined the Sustainability team at RRC Polytech’s spot along the route, where we welcomed cyclists, handed out snacks and cheered them on as they made their way to work.

Our Spring Clean-Up brought together more than 14 volunteers. We split into groups and headed to different areas around Notre Dame Campus, collecting waste and cleaning up outdoor spaces after the winter.

In June, volunteers spent a morning weeding at the Medicine Wheel and Community Garden, removing invasive thistle and helping prepare the area for summer activities. They also worked in the Community Garden, where sage and sweetgrass are being grown for future planting at the Medicine Wheel.

Later in the summer, we met in the greenhouse, where volunteers helped us propagate and prepare more than 400 succulents for Red River Ready.

We wrapped up the summer at Red River Ready, RRC Polytech’s welcome event for new students. Over three days, volunteers joined the Sustainability team to welcome students, hand out the succulents we had prepared and invite them to get involved with the Student Sustainability Volunteer Program.

A big thank you to everyone who volunteered with us this spring and summer!

We have more activities coming this fall, and we’d love to have you join us.

If you have any questions or comments, please contact us at sustainability@rrc.ca

This spring, many initiatives brought together the Landscaping and Grounds team, Indigenous Student Supports and Partnerships, local beekeepers, student volunteers, and the Sustainability Office. While each project had a different focus, they all shared one thing in common: caring for our campus.

One simple change can make a big difference. This year, the Landscaping and Grounds teams took part in No Mow May, a movement that encourages delaying the first mow of the season.

The benefits don’t stop there. Leaving some areas unmowed a little longer can also improve soil health and reduce greenhouse gas emissions associated with mowing. Sometimes, giving nature a little more space is one of the simplest ways to make a positive difference.

Welcoming Back the Bees

Just across from the naturalized area, another exciting project has returned to campus.

This year, RRC Polytech reactivated its Bee Project in partnership with local beekeepers by installing four honey bee hives on the Notre Dame Campus.

The hives support pollination while creating opportunities for students, staff, and visitors to learn more about honey bees and the role they play in our environment and food systems. Honey bees can travel up to five kilometres from their hive, pollinating trees, gardens, parks, and other green spaces throughout the surrounding area.

Over the coming weeks, we’ll be announcing opportunities to meet our beekeeper, learn about bees and the ecosystem services they provide, and take part in a Nature Walk in August.

Once the honey is harvested this fall, it will be shared with the Culinary Program, Student Association Food Bank, and through Sustainability Office activities.

Volunteers in Action: Weeding at the Medicine Wheel

At the beginning of June, students from the Sustainability Volunteer Program spent the morning at the Medicine Wheel removing thistle, an invasive species that spreads quickly and competes with other plants. The activity also assisted Indigenous Student Supports and Partnerships in preparing the Medicine Wheel ahead of the Summer Solstice Pipe Ceremony and the July camps. Volunteers also weeded a Community Garden plot where sage and sweetgrass are being grown for future plantings at the Medicine Wheel.

Beyond the work itself, it was an opportunity for students to spend time outdoors, connect with other volunteers, learn about invasive species and native plants, and contribute to the care of these important spaces.

Whether it’s giving pollinators a place to feed, bringing bees back, or volunteering a few hours to care for our green spaces, every project plays a part in making RRC Polytech a more sustainable place.

If you’re on campus this summer, take some time to explore these spaces. Walk the trail behind the soccer field, visit the bee enclosure, and see how small changes can make a big difference.

Ah, summer days!  While many things slow down around the College in the summer, the facilities management and campus renewal teams have plenty to keep busy with in terms of refreshing spaces and renovating offices.  In order to clear space for these improvements to happen you might be asked to clean out your desk, lab, classroom or shared work area.  And what should you do with that file cabinet full of meeting notes from 2001?  Or the shelf full of books that were there and haven’t been looked at since you got hired?  How about that jacket that belonged to Bob…but didn’t Bob retire, like, 5 years ago?

Well, fear not.  The recycling team can help you out.  If you’ve got an office cleanout, purge or renovation coming up, contact the Sustainability office, and we can arrange to have the Recycling Team deliver a variety of re-use and recycling bins for all of the items you want to clear out.  We can bring you:

• Bins for electronic items that still work that can be donated or given away
• E-waste bins for broken electronics that will be dismantled and recycled
• Confidential Shredding bins for private documents that need to be destroyed
• Paper recycling bins for paper, cardboard & boxboard
• Plastic, glass, & metal recycling bins for mixed recyclables
• Book recycling bins for textbooks and softcover books that are irrelevant
• Community Donation Bins for still-useful items such as small office supplies, books that someone might still want, clothing items, etc which will either be donated to a thrift store, or placed on one of our College’s Free Shelves

The College has a Free Shelf?!

Perhaps you’ve noticed the pair of shelves outside room B105 at NDC.  They’re often laden with empty binders, file folders, keyboards, pens, pencils and markers that are free for the taking.  The Sustainability Office stocks this shelf with items diverted from the trash in office cleanouts and renovations.  We encourage staff and students to take whatever items they find on said shelves for their own personal use.  Said items are often lightly used and are of too little value for the college to re-sell, but definitely worth keeping out of the trash! 

There’s a similar table in the Roblin Building at EDC out front of the student association offices which is often used similarly for giving away small surplus items.  And up on the 7^th floor lounge of PGI residence there’s a cabinet for students living in residence to exchange small household items that they’re no longer using. 

On April 22, RRC Polytech students and staff came together at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae to celebrate Earth Day and recognize the winners of the 2026 Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Student Competition.

At RRC Polytech, sustainability continues to be part of how we approach learning, operations, and community engagement. Through our commitment to the SDG Accord and participation in SDG Month Canada, we aim to support meaningful action across the College.

The SDG Student Competition is one way this work comes to life. Each year, students are invited to share how they are integrating the SDGs into their academic projects. This year’s submissions reflected a strong level of thought, creativity, and care in addressing real-world challenges.

We would like to thank all the students who participated, as well as the instructors, mentors, and adjudication committee who supported them throughout the process. We also acknowledge Crosier Kilgour, whose support helped make this event possible.

The 2026 competition winners are as follows:

Best Overall Submission: Keenan Dunbar and Gerri Chevillard for their project “Provincial Universal Nutrition Program (CHU2)”

Top Applied Research Entry: Husanpreet Singh and Daniel Terletsky for their project “Bladeless Vortex Wind Energy Harvester”

Top Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Entry: Edwige Ozo for her project “Accessible Childcare: A Necessity, Not A Privilege”

Top Academic Assignment: Leslie Lambert and Jamie Lambert for their project “Repair Café”

Throughout the event, we had the opportunity to learn more about the students’ work and the impact of their projects. The range of topics, from repair and reuse initiatives to renewable energy solutions and access to essential services, highlighted the many ways sustainability can be applied in practice.

We left the event feeling encouraged by the work of our students and the contributions they are making. We look forward to continuing to support this work and to seeing how it evolves in the years ahead.

When the COVID pandemic hit a few years back, the world suddenly began creating, consuming and disposing of a much larger volume of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).  As global mask sales increased 30-fold in 2020, many people wanted the option of diverting their used masks from the landfill.  A number of initiatives were developed in North America to recycle masks and the folks here in the Sustainability Office purchased pre-paid mask recycling boxes from a company called Terracycle in hopes of keeping our masks out of the landfill. 

We still have a handful of these Terracycle mask recycling collection boxes out in public spaces of the college: the bottom of the stairs near the campus bookstore at NDC, the north doors of building J, the south doors of building T, and the third floor outside the culinary labs at PGI.  Anyone and everyone is welcome to use them!

Additionally, last year, the Sustainability Office consolidated our second PPE recycling program that had been offered through a number of different nursing and health care programs. Now the college collects the following items in bulk, compresses/palletizes the items, and ships them away for recycling to an organization in Quebec called Go Zero.

• Disposable gloves (nitrile, vinyl, latex)
• Disposable & respirator masks
• Reusable masks & disposable filters
• Safety glasses, goggles, face shields
• Isolation gowns, surgical drapes
• Hair & shoe covers
• Earplugs

Upon receiving our pallets of compressed PPE, Go Zero sorts, washes, shreds, granulates, and extrudes the various plastics into pellets that are re-sold back into the plastics market for re-use. If you’re a big recycling nerd like us, you can see more details on the above process here, starting on page 8.

Get involved in the PPE Recycling program!

With the success of our centralized PPE recycling collection initiative over the past year, we’re looking to expand! If you’re an instructor or EA that uses PPE in their lab, workshop or classroom, and you’d like to start recycling it, please get in touch with us at sustainability@rrc.ca. If you’re a student who is interested in diverting more waste from your classrooms or labs, get in touch with us or chat with your instructors about our PPE program. 

And of course, the best way to keep PPE out of the landfill is by avoiding over-use of PPE when it isn’t necessary. The NHS’s Gloves Are Off campaign in the UK is a good example of health care practitioners working to limit un-necessary use of PPE in hospitals and thereby reducing waste while still maintaining safe hygienic practices.

RRC Polytech is proud to participate in SDG Month Canada this March, a national collaborative initiative that brings colleges and universities together to increase awareness and engagement with the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) provide a shared global framework for addressing challenges such as climate change, inequality, responsible consumption, and community well-being.

As a signatory of the SDG Accord, RRC Polytech continues to integrate sustainability across campus culture, curriculum, and institutional practices. SDG Month provides an opportunity to highlight this work and recognize the contributions of students, staff, and faculty.

SDG Student Competition

One of the highlights of the month is the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Student Competition, which recognizes student projects that advance sustainability and align with one or more of the 17 SDGs.

The competition offers four cash awards:

$2,000 for Best Overall Submission
$1,000 for Top Applied Research Entry
$1,000 for Top Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion Entry
$1,000 for Top Academic Assignment

Eligible projects may include course assignments, capstone projects, applied research, case studies, or independent initiatives that demonstrate impact.

Application deadline: March 24, 2026.

The SDG Student Competition is supported by Crozier Kilgour

Manitoba Gardening 101 and Planting Workshops

Growing food locally is one way individuals can take meaningful action toward sustainability.

Manitoba Gardening 101 is a hands-on workshop series hosted in collaboration with Campus Wellbeing and the Sustainability Office. Designed especially for beginners, the sessions introduce participants to practical skills such as starting seeds indoors, understanding Manitoba’s growing conditions, and selecting climate-appropriate plants.

The first session takes place on March 25 from 12:10 to 12:50 PM in the Greenhouse at the Notre Dame Campus, with additional sessions planned for April and May.

Staff and students are welcome.

To learn more about this event and register, click here.

Launching the SDG Community of Practice

As part of SDG Month Canada, RRC Polytech is also launching the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Community of Practice for staff and faculty.

The SDG Community of Practice will bring together colleagues interested in integrating sustainability and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals into teaching, research, operations, and community engagement. The initiative will focus on topics, such as education, equity, sustainable communities, responsible consumption, climate action, and partnerships, among others, creating space for collaboration across teaching, research, and campus operations.

The first gathering will introduce the purpose of the Community of Practice and invite participants to help shape its direction moving forward.

Check Staff News for more details.

Additional SDG Month Activities and Related Events

Throughout March, members of the RRC Polytech community are invited to participate in events related to the Sustainable Development Goals.

Here are a few learning opportunities to explore:

March 5 | Wolves of Manitoba

Hosted by the Friends of the Living Prairie Museum, this in-person and virtual talk explores wolf ecology in Manitoba, including how wolves interact with their environment, select prey, and influence predator-prey dynamics. The session will share insights from recent Manitoba-based research.

This event aligns with SDG 15 Life on Land and SDG 4 Quality Education.

March 9 to 13 | RRC Polytech’s Inclusion Week

RRC Polytech’s annual Inclusion Week is a week-long series of in-person and virtual opportunities for students, staff, and faculty to strengthen equity, diversity, inclusion, and accessibility in our classrooms, workplaces, and daily interactions.

Inclusion Week aligns with SDG 4 Quality Education, SDG 5 Gender Equality, SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 16 Peace, Justice and Strong Institutions.

March 10 | Birdability Community Conversation

Each year, migratory birds travel extraordinary distances using complex navigation systems that include the Earth’s magnetic field, celestial cues, and environmental signals. This virtual Birdability session explores how and why birds migrate, while creating space for learning and connection within a community that includes blind and low-vision birders.

This event aligns with SDG 10 Reduced Inequalities, SDG 13 Climate Action, and SDG 15 Life on Land.

March 24 | Keeping it Local: Co-ops as a Succession Plan for SMEs

This webinar explores how transitioning small and medium-sized businesses to employee or community ownership can provide a sustainable and values-driven approach to business succession. The session will examine cooperative ownership models, Employee Ownership Trusts, and Employee Stock Ownership Plans, and how these models help retain jobs, local expertise, and economic benefits within the community.

This event aligns with SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 12 Responsible Consumption and Production.

March 25 | Awards Evening – Building Envelope Design Competition

This event, taking place at RRC Polytech from 5:00 PM to 8:30 PM, celebrates innovation in high-performance building design in Manitoba.

The evening brings together professionals, students, and industry leaders to showcase design solutions focused on energy efficiency and sustainable building practices. Attendees will have the opportunity to view submissions, connect with others in the field, and celebrate this year’s competition winners.

This event aligns with SDG 9 Industry, Innovation and Infrastructure, SDG 11 Sustainable Cities and Communities, and SDG 13 Climate Action.

The RRC Polytech Sustainability Office is pleased to announce the third annual Sustainable Development Goals Student Competition! The competition provides an opportunity to celebrate the valuable work that students, instructors, and researchers are undertaking in support of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) here at RRC Polytech.

Learn more about the Sustainable Development Goals, their targets and indicators here. To learn more about RRC Polytech’s commitment to the SDGs, read about our signing of the SDG Accord.

The 2026 competition is sponsored by Crosier Kilgour. Four cash award prizes are available:

1. Best Overall Submission $2000
2. Top Applied Research Entry $1000
3. Top Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Entry $1000
4. Top Academic Assignment $1000

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

What are the eligibility requirements?

All currently enrolled students at RRC Polytech are eligible to apply. Students may enter the contest as an individual or as a team. Projects must have taken place in the 2025/2026 academic year.

Do we have to use the award money towards implementing a project? 

No, the prize money may be used by you/your team however you wish.

Can I submit a project that was part of a course assignment?

Yes. Course-related projects are eligible for the award.

Does my submission need to include applied research?

No. Although there is a prize specifically to recognize the top applied research project, we are interested in all sustainability-related projects, research, studies and learning happening here at RRC Polytech! Eligible submissions include, but are not limited to innovative designs, business plans, capstone projects, demonstrations, case studies and more.

What is the evaluation criteria?

The adjudication committee will look for clear descriptions of:
• The “where, why, what, when and how” of your project.
• How your project supports sustainability and one or more of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.
• How your project may contribute to ongoing momentum towards sustainability.

How do I apply?

To apply please fill out the application form below. If you would prefer a downloadable application form or have any questions regarding your submission, please email: sustainability@rrc.ca. Applications must be received by March 24th, 2026.

Excellence in Sustainability Award Winner, Ginger Arnold (right), with Stephanie Fulford, RRC Polytech’s Sustainability Specialist.

RRC Polytech is proud to recognize Ginger Arnold as one of this past year’s recipients of the Excellence in Sustainability Award. Her story is a meaningful reminder that sustainability is not only a professional commitment, but a way of seeing, living, and learning that grows through connection to land, community and people.

Rooted in the Land

Ginger’s journey in sustainability began long before she entered the field. She grew up between her grandparents’ farm in rural Manitoba and a remote log cabin on an island in Lake of the Woods, two landscapes that shaped her deeply. As Ginger reflects, “My childhood was grounded in nature. I was always outside, in every season, and that shaped how I see the world and what I care about.”

A high school marine biology course strengthened this connection. Through field trips, hands-on research and a study experience in Belize, she discovered how powerful it felt “to understand the world more deeply and to care for it more intentionally,” a realization that set her on a lifelong path of environmental learning and community-centered work.

A Career Shaped by Community and Environmental Care

Ginger’s career carried her across the North, where she worked in Yellowknife as a Fish Habitat Biologist with Fisheries and Oceans Canada and later with Natural Resources Canada, supporting environmental monitoring and field studies in partnership with Indigenous communities. Her work took her to remote regions along the Mackenzie River, where she lived in a wall tent for weeks at a time while conducting baseline monitoring with community members. She also spent time working in Churchill and held a role with Bird Studies Canada, contributing to research and community-engaged science before returning to Winnipeg.

For the next ten years, Ginger served with the Province of Manitoba in the Department of Conservation, later called Sustainable Development, as a Senior Policy Analyst in Indigenous Relations. In that role, she supported policy development, interdepartmental collaboration and initiatives advancing sustainability, community engagement and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action.

These experiences gave Ginger a deep understanding of how environmental work and Indigenous knowledge inform one another. She carried this perspective with her when she joined RRC Polytech as an instructor in the Social Innovation and Community Development program, supporting learners who want to make a difference in their communities through social and environmental change.

Today, alongside her work as an instructor, Ginger is leading the development of the new Moojigitoodaa Aki – Environmental Studies and Land Relations program. She also serves as the Employee Representative on the Board of Governors at RRC Polytech, ensuring that staff voices contribute to the institution’s governance and long-term planning.

Designing a Program Centered on Land, Community and Sustainability

Ginger is currently working on the development of the Moojigitoodaa Aki – Environmental Studies and Land Relations program, a two-year diploma shaped by community voices and grounded in land-based learning. As she explained, “Two-eyed seeing allows us to bring Indigenous and Western knowledge together,” a principle that guides every stage of the program’s design.

The program began with a request from an Indigenous community seeking graduates who understood both environmental science and land-based knowledge. After many conversations with communities and industry, the program now reflects what people shared. It responds to a growing demand across Manitoba and beyond for professionals who can navigate environmental challenges while working respectfully with communities and the land.

Teaching Sustainability as Shared Learning

Ginger’s dedication to embedding sustainability into curriculum has shaped the learning experience of every student she has taught. Courses such as Impact of Climate Change on Communities and Reconciling Our Economic Futures have encouraged learners to think critically about environmental issues and their responsibilities within their own communities.

For Ginger, teaching sustainability begins with creating space for multiple worldviews. She believes that students learn best when they are invited to explore how land, community, and the environment connect in their own lives. To help students navigate these perspectives, she grounds her teaching in frameworks such as the UN Sustainable Development Goals, the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, and the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. These tools, she noted, offer a shared language for understanding global challenges while also valuing Indigenous knowledge and community experience.

Ginger describes her classroom as a place of reciprocal learning. “I learn just as much from students and community partners as they learn from me,” she said. “That exchange is one of the most meaningful parts of this work.”

Supporting Sustainability Across the College

Ginger’s contributions extend well beyond her teaching role. She has consistently demonstrated a deep commitment to advancing sustainability at RRC Polytech, volunteering her time to support College-wide initiatives, strengthen the curriculum, and encourage community engagement. Her influence reaches students, colleagues, and partners across the country.

She has led workshops that explore how the Sustainable Development Goals connect with the Truth and Reconciliation Commission Calls to Action, helping staff reflect on how global sustainability frameworks relate to local responsibilities. This included a presentation during Truth and Reconciliation and Community Engagement Week, as well as a national webinar for Colleges and Institutes Canada (CICan), where she shared practical approaches for integrating sustainability and reconciliation in post-secondary education.

Ginger also played a key role in developing the College’s SDG Student Competition, providing guidance and serving on the adjudication committee. She finds this work especially meaningful because it allows her to see how students interpret sustainability through their own identities, studies and lived experiences. Their creativity continually inspires her and reinforces the importance of integrating sustainability across all programs.

Looking Forward

When Ginger imagines the future of sustainability education at RRC Polytech, she sees a campus where learning extends far beyond the classroom, with naturalized spaces and places where students and community members can gather, learn, and feel connected to the land. She is especially excited about expanding project-based learning, creating more opportunities for fieldwork and strengthening partnerships with First Nations and Métis communities.

Ginger Arnold’s story is a powerful example of leadership rooted in community, reciprocity, and respect for the land. Her commitment has strengthened sustainability learning at RRC Polytech and inspired change both locally and nationally. RRC Polytech is proud to celebrate her contributions and the lasting impact she brings to sustainability and education.

For the first time ever, RRC Polytech has earned a Gold rating in the Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System known as STARS. Developed by the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE), STARS is the most widely recognized framework for measuring sustainability performance in post-secondary institutions, with over 1,200 participants across 52 countries. 

Improving by more than 20 points in the comprehensive scoring system from the previous submission, Gold STARS status acknowledges RRC Polytech’s deep commitment to sustainability across academics, operations, engagement, planning, and innovation. It’s a testament to the Polytech’s collaborative, campus-wide efforts to embed sustainability into every facet of its mission. 

Submitted every three years, the STARS ratings motivate organizations to assess how they approach the environmental, social and economic dimensions of sustainability and develop methods and programs to address the global challenges that we’re all facing. RRC Polytech was the first post-secondary in Manitoba to sign the SDG Accord and commit to pursuing and delivering the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals – measuring and reporting progress is critical to success.   

“We have a shared responsibility to take better care of our planet, people, and community and every effort makes a difference,” said Stephanie Fulford, Sustainability Specialist, Environmental Stewardship and Campus Renewal at RRC Polytech. “Opportunities to do more in both our personal and professional lives are everywhere; we just need to look for them and decide we’re going to lead by example and do something about it.”  

The Gold rating is a tremendous milestone but also serves as a starting point for new strategies and practices that can be adopted to ensure a cleaner, greener, and more prosperous future for everyone. 

“As an organization committed to innovation and excellence, we’re not only going to work hard to maintain our top-performing areas but to improve our scores in every area,” said Fulford. “We’re excited to continue leading with purpose and driving even greater impact in the years ahead by learning from others, exploring new ideas, and finding creative ways to embed and advance sustainability in everything we do.” 

Read more on the RRC.ca newsfeed