By Melissa Huang
With UBC gaining international recognition as a leader in sustainability, Arts students at UBC may be wondering how they can join the university’s growing movement in sustainable learning, research and practice. The place to begin this journey is the Sustainability Education Resource Centre, located in the new Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) on campus.
At the Sustainability Education Resource Centre, students can learn about opportunities for exploring sustainability both in the classroom and out in their communities. As an example, UBC offers over 480 sustainability-oriented courses, 81 of which are under the Faculty of Arts. The UBC Sustainability website provides a list of these courses, organized by department.
“Students are interested in knowing about current issues in their field,” said Kshamta Hunter, Student Advisor at the Sustainability Education Resource Centre in CIRS. “If someone is particularly keen about water conservation, for instance, or food, then they can take courses tailored towards those themes.”
For students who lack a defined area of interest in sustainability, however, the abundance of options may be overwhelming.
“Arts students often explore different options in different departments within their faculty,” said Hunter. “But sustainability is multidisciplinary, and it can be integrated into any field. ”
Outside of the classroom, students can contribute to UBC’s sustainability movement by investigating sustainable solutions to real-life problems and attending sustainability events on campus. To pursue these activities, Arts students may want to join the UBC Reads Sustainability Program and the UBC SEEDS Program (Social, Ecological, Economic, Development Studies). Both initiatives connect students with UBC and the community beyond through sustainability-based discussions.
“UBC Reads Sustainability is a book club, lecture series, and a discussion forum all wrapped into one. It’s for students from all disciplines,” said Hunter. “We invite authors of bestselling sustainability books to deliver lectures on campus and engage with the community. We also encourage faculty to incorporate these books into their courses.”
Through the UBC SEEDS Program, students work directly with staff and faculty to improve campus operations. A past project led by an Arts professor, for example, examined sustainability practices at UBC and proposed suggestions to drive waste reduction in public spaces. Students today have the benefit of being able to take their ideas even further through the support of the AMS Sustainability Projects Fund. The Fund, which was established in September 2011, provides successful applicants with $2000 – $8000 to implement their own projects.
“Sustainability is about taking initiative – it’s not just about the courses,” said Hunter. “That’s why we have so many leadership and involvement opportunities. It’s great to take the courses, but we also encourage students to reinforce them by getting involved.”
The Sustainability Education Resource Centre is located in the Centre for Interactive Research on Sustainability (CIRS) at 2260 West Mall. Students interested in exploring academic and co-curricular options in sustainability can contact Kshamta Hunter, Student Advisor, at kshamta.hunter@ubc.ca.
