The Students’ Association is throwing the question out there – Should Red River College students adopt a U-Pass program?

A U-Pass is a Universal Bus Pass that would give RRC students unlimited access to transit throughout the school year at a deeply discounted rate. U-Pass programs involve mandatory participation, making it similar to the Students’ Association Health and Dental benefits program. While some individuals may benefit more directly than others, U-Passes work by benefitting the student group as a whole.

Why would I want a Red River College U-Pass?

Here are 8 reasons why the U-Pass program might work for you. Read More →

Thanks to our extraordinary respondents who completed our online survey and had their say in designing the 2014 Sustainability Speaker Series! Now in its second year, the series continues the dialogue on campus sustainability and educates Red River College students and staff on topics of interest.

This survey told us that you were interested or very interested in our proposed topics. You also gave us a few new ones to consider. Read More →

For two years Red River College has offered the EcoPass — a 60% subsidized monthly transit pass — to employees who work at one of our downtown buildings. Negotiated as part of the Collective Agreement, the purpose of the program is to provide a benefit to our downtown employees in light of higher parking rates and more frequent and accessible bus service in Winnipeg’s downtown.

We’ve crunched the numbers on the Ins and Outs of this program and discovered some interesting tidbits to share with you, our sustainably-minded readers. Read More →

Last week, Karl, Brittnay, Reynaldo and Dave got a big surprise when they were caught RECYCLING at our Notre Dame and Exchange District Centre campuses!  The cast and crew from Recycle Everywhere team leaped out to cheer and celebrate our recyclers, and if that wasn’t enough they also walked away with a bike from Woodcock Cycle or a North Face jacket. Not bad for simply putting your empty beverage container in the recycling bin!

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During Waste Reduction Week we successfully caught hundreds of students reducing, reusing and recycling. Special thanks to RRC Food Services and Aramark, College Relations, Steve Coates and the Recycling Team for helping make this event such a success! Read More →

Last week we asked staff and students to lug their mugs for Waste Reduction Week. We spotted more than 600 people on campus toting a reusable mug and sold another 720 EcoMugs to those who typically savour their Double-double with a disposable cups.

We have a lot of campus sustainability accomplishments to celebrate, but EcoMug use isn’t one of them (she writes with pangs of shame). Our current EcoMugs use on campus is 7%. 7%!! Back in 2009, we hovered around 30%. What’s changed? We ask ourselves. Read More →

From October 21 – 27, Red River College will join hundreds of schools, businesses, non-profit groups, municipalities and Canadian households by participating in Waste Reduction Week.

Throughout the week, the Sustainability Office has planned a bunch of events to engage, inform and promote waste reduction and recycling on campus. Come out to one event or join them all – just don’t waste these great opportunities! Read More →

It takes a whole lot of bags, bins and elbow grease to run Red River College’s recycling program. By the numbers it’s:

• 25,000 bags annually
• 450 bins of various shapes and sizes across our campuses
• 17-member Recycling Team

I like to call it Sustainability at Work – the active, team effort needed to get all of our recycling out of the bins and out the door. Our Recycling Team is divided across 3 campuses, the Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, Roblin Centre and Notre Dame Campus. The team is responsible for the day-to-day operations of collecting and sorting, cleaning and preparing our cardboard, bottles, plastics, paper, cans and food waste for recycling and composting.  Thanks to them, we recycle 963 kg of bottles and cans, 1796 kg of paper, 3070 kg of cardboard and compost 5425 kg of food waste every month. That’s enough to fill 187 residential recycling bins every month!

This isn’t everything we divert from the landfill, but represents a sizable chunk of what we recycle on a daily basis, and provides a good snapshot of the sizable efforts our Recycling Team. So keep the recycling coming, and next time you see a member of the Recycling Team, tell them what a good job they’re doing.

Bikes and Bikers.

Over the years we’ve seen more and more students and staff embrace the power of the pedal by commuting to Red River College by bike. Spring and Fall months, in particular, bustle with bikes.

While reported incidents of bike theft on campus are low (approx. 1/ year), having your bike stolen sucks. Full stop. Read More →

The Sustainability Office (Sue & Sara) celebrates Red Goes Green with a red velvet cupcake.

Happy 1st Birthday Red Goes Green,

You were conceived several years ago. And one year ago today you were finally brought to life.

You were created as a one-stop-site for all of Red River College’s sustainability happenings, events and news to help meet the College’s strategic action of increasing sustainability awareness among students and staff. Between events, speakers, policies and programs, you are one the many tools the Sustainability Office is using to promote sustainability and effect change. Read More →