September is an exciting time to be at Red River College with a whole new term of classes starting, the campuses are abuzz.

For those new to Red River College, or even those returning, here are some tips on how to live sustainability on campus:

Follow us on Social Media

An easy way to find out what is going on with Sustainability at Red River College is to follow us on one (or more) of our social media channels. You can find us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. You can also subscribe to our blog to get informed of all the latest sustainability news.

RRC Bijour Urban Honey.

RRC Farmers Market 

On Friday, September 9, Red River College is hosting its first ever farmers market. In addition to some great local vendors, we will be selling RRC’s very own Bijou Urban Honey made this summer on the PGI 4^th floor patio in partnership with Beeproject Apiaries. The market is open to everyone and will run from 11AM to 2PM on the plaza level between DEF buildings at Notre Dame Campus.

Waste and Recycling

You may have noticed that there are no garbage or recycling bins in classrooms on campus. Hall It! encourages everyone to be responsible for their own waste by taking it to the halls for disposal. This program helps keep classrooms clean, reduces staff time needed to clean these rooms, and makes it easier for you to dispose of your waste properly with helpful signage and bins placed in the hallways.

Our hallway Pitch In program consists of three bins: two for recycling (paper and containers) and one for garbage. Large signs above many of these trios will help you figure out where to put something if you’re not sure. Eliminating stand-alone garbage bins makes recycling accessible for you, so you don’t have to worry about carrying your recyclables around all day looking for the right bin. 

Compost

Compost pile at NDC

At Notre Dame, pre-consumer organic waste is collected from kitchens and taken to our on-site compost pile which is managed by our Grounds crew. The finished compost fertilizes the College’s grounds.

At PGI, pre-consumer organic waste is collected from kitchens (Jane’s and the Culinary Exchange) and also in culinary labs. Post-consumer organic waste (your unfinished lunch for example) is also collected. This compostable waste (on average approximately 1500 kg per week!) it is composted at a commercial composting facility.

Water

Ditch the one-time use plastic water bottle and fill your reusable water bottle at bottle fill stations found around campus. These stations will fill your reusable bottle, glass or mug with clean, refreshing water!

Use your reusable mug for a discount on coffee.

Food Services

Chances are you will be purchasing something to eat or drink on campus occasionally. Fear not! You don’t have to sacrifice your sustainable ways to do this! Food Services sources 25% of their food locally, and there are several Fair Trade options available including coffee, tea and chocolate. And don’t forget your reusable mug when you go to fill up on coffee – prevent a disposable coffee cup going to the landfill and save yourself 10 cents!

Transportation

Did you know that owning and operating a car costs on average $8,000/year? Here are some great options for reducing that cost and reducing your environmental footprint:

Use a bike rack, Jack! Bike racks are located conveniently around all campuses and Roblin Campus has a secure bike room.

“Top of the lot” spots for student carpoolers at NDC.

Hop on the bus, Gus! Post-secondary students save 20% off of a monthly bus pass with the Post-secondary Monthly Bus Pass from Winnipeg Transit. Purchase yours with a valid student ID at the Mercantile (Roblin Centre) and the Ox (NDC).

Make a carpool plan, Stan! Students who carpool enjoy top-of-the-lot parking on Notre Dame Campus. Need help finding a carpool buddy? Red River College subscribes to carpool.ca, an online ride-matching service that will help you find compatible carpoolers in your area.

Have questions or want to learn more about sustainability at Red River College? Contact us.