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Part of our Profiled Universities
Location: Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Focus area: Waste and Resources Management, Zero Waste, Circular Food Systems, Sustainable Packaging, Circular Procurement Strategies, Renewable and Circular Energy Systems
Expertise: Zero Waste and Resource Management, Closed Loop Food Systems, Renewable and Circular Energy Systems, Circular Procurement Strategies
Key Projects
Climate Mitigation Targets for Procurement and Waste
SFU launched a 5-year greenhouse gas mitigation plan in 2019 that includes an in-depth focus on scope 3 emissions. The SFU 2025 Plan mobilises the entire institution to embed climate action throughout its operations, research, academics and community engagement. This includes all waste on all campuses, front and back of the house waste, and construction waste.
Circular Economy Working Group launched
As a part of the implementation process of SFU’s 2025 plan, a working group made of Staff, Faculty, and Students was launched by SFU to spearhead new circular economycircular economyA systems solution framework that tackles global challenges like climate change, biodiversity loss, waste, and pollution. It is based on three principles, driven by design: eliminate waste and pollution, circulate products and materials (at their highest value), and regenerate nature. initiatives on campus and is working on projects that tackle circular procurement, waste, and systems change.
Re-use for Good Initiative
SFU launched its Re-use for Good initiative aiming to reduce single-use plastics and disposable products (SUPPs) while introducing reusable alternatives. This initiative has pioneered a holistic and applied approach to change-making to address the issue of SUPPs in the Metro Vancouver region. Programs under the initiative include food/beverage container share programs, enhanced recycling facilities and smart sorting bins, chopstick upcycling with partner ChopValue, eliminating single-use plastics, and improving access to reusable alternatives. (2019 Review).
Corix Biomass Plant
SFU built a biomass plant on Burnaby Campus in 2020 to support the transition toward renewable energyrenewable energyEnergy derived from resources that are not depleted on timescales relevant to the economy, i.e. not geological timescales. systems on campus. The plant diverts wood waste from landfills around Metro Vancouver and turns the waste into energy for campus infrastructure and buildings.
Teaching & Learning
SFU teaches a range of Resource and Environmental Management and Sustainable Development courses, covering topics across sustainable production, consumption and waste management. Some of the course options include:
Planning for Sustainable Food Systems (REM 357): The course covers closed-loop food systems, circular economy and food waste.
Global Change (REM 100): The Global Change course addresses new ways of thinking in natural and social science and explores alternative futures.
Systems Thinking and the Environment (REM221): The course explores systems thinking in the context of environmental and sustainability challenges and the application of analytical and modelling techniques to understand and project systems complexity.
Research Initiatives
SIMBIO: Social Innovation Management for Bioplastics
Simon Fraser University’s Food Systems Lab received a grant from the Trans-Atlantic Platform Social Innovation Call to lead a project titled Social Innovation Management for Bioplastics (SIMBIO). SIMBIO uses a social innovation approach to address the environmental and social challenges of bioplastic packaging throughout its entire supply chain - from production to end-of-life management in collaboration with researchers from Brazil, Poland, and the United Kingdom. This requires close collaboration of research team members on both sides of the Atlantic to work on a solution to bioplastics that is viable and scalable to multiple locales.
Sustainable Business Adaptation during COVID-19
In partnership with LOCO BC, the National Zero Waste Council, and The Soap Dispensary, SFU is strengthening and building resiliency to support a green recovery from COVID-19 through engaging independently-run local businesses, whilst maintaining practices that promote a sustainable and socially just local economy. The project will develop a series of case studies and resources related to zero waste and the circular economy. Building on existing local business networks, SFU will also facilitate a peer-to-peer online exchange to encourage collaboration, networking, and sharing of ideas between local businesses and supporting organisations and associations.
Living Lab Research Program - Sustainability and Management of Bioplastic Food Service Products
The Living Lab facilitates sustainability-themed research at SFU by providing opportunities for applied research and experiential learning that improve the sustainability of SFU’s three campuses.
Campus Management, Student-led and Community Initiatives
Food Rescue - Embark Sustainability
One of Embark’s student programs at Simon Fraser University. Each academic semester, students collect healthy yet imperfect-looking produce (that does not meet the selling criteria of supermarket chains) and redistribute it to the university community for free or by donation, diverting produce that would otherwise be organic waste.
Learning gardens - Embark Sustainability
Embark operates three Learning Gardens at Simon Fraser University. This includes outdoor raised-bed Learning Gardens on both the Burnaby and Surrey campuses, as well as an indoor vertical garden inside SFU Surrey. The gardens are also a space to hold workshops and events.
Farm to campus - Embark Sustainability
This program is a collaboration between SFU Surrey and TD Community Engagement Center, which has introduced a low-cost weekly subscription service that provides SFU students with fresh, local produce turned away by grocery stores. This initiative not only helps SFU students access a healthy, low-cost option for adding more veggies into their diet but also reduces food waste from local farms and links local farmers directly to local consumers.
Community Kitchen - Embark Sustainability
The Community Kitchen is an open, free gathering space where students come together to cook and enjoy a four-course vegetarian or plant-based meal. Each Community Kitchen has a unique theme, ranging from cultural celebrations to exploring social issues, that enables opportunities for participants to explore different food cultures and challenges within our complex food systems.
Plastic Bottle Ban
At the end of 2020, SFU banned plastic bottles from campus dining and vending locations. These efforts were spearheaded by the university’s student club Ban the Bottle and coordinated by a committee of staff, faculty, and students including the Ancillary Services, and SFU Sustainability departments. Re-use for Good reported that over 1 million single-use plastic bottles and cups are used and discarded every year at SFU, and only 11% of Canadian plastics are recycled.
Networks - Canadian Collaboration for Sustainable Procurement (CCSP)
SFU is a member of the Canadian Collaboration for Sustainable Procurement. SFU Sustainability and Procurement staff participate to support sustainable and circular procurement initiatives on campus. The network connects SFU to other post-secondary and public institutions and municipalities.
Connect with:
Rita Steele, Campus Sustainability Manager
Find out more:
Embark Sustainability https://www.embarksustainability.org/
