On June 1st, 2023 members of the Manitou a bi Bii daziigae project team attended the Canada Green Building Council national conference in Vancouver B.C. The team was recognized at the award ceremonies with the New Construction award for Green Building Excellence, presented to only one group from across the country each year. This prestigious award celebrates the most innovative and inspiring green building projects in Canada.

The judge’s selection of Manitou a bi Bii daziigae focused on the design stage and the choices made to achieve environmental sustainability goals and occupant health and wellness. A key aspect of that success was the prioritizing of Indigenous knowledge, teachings and traditions in the design and creation of the building. The end result is a building that achieves ambitious energy efficiency goals while providing inclusive, functional and beautiful spaces for learning and collaboration.

Manitou a bi Bii daziigae is on track to be RRC Polytech’s fourth LEED-certified building, with a goal of 100 energy use intensity and a near net zero efficiency. For more details on the many sustainability design features of Manitou a bi Bii Daziigae, including the building integrated photovoltaic exterior, the Indigenous artwork, pedestrian plaza and the abundance of natural light, please check out the virtual tour and write up here.

Anyone commuting to the Notre Dame Campus by bike or bus may have noticed the new multi-use path running along Dalton Crescent.  High praise is deserved for the folks in our Facilities department for including this important piece of connective infrastructure in their recent bus-loop upgrade project. 

Another recent boon for commuter cyclists is the installation of bike pumps alongside our self-repair stands in front of D Building at the Notre Dame Campus and at the William Street entrance of the Roblin Centre.   Missing tools on the self-repair stands have also recently been replaced. The Sustainability team is also planning to install a self-repair stand at the Portage la Prairie and Stevenson campuses in the near future.  If you commute by bike these stands are a great resource for making minor repairs and adjustments to your ride.

In other news, on Monday, June 5th, RRC Polytech hosted a Bike to Work Day pit stop at Omand’s Creek park serving passing bike commuters.  By 9:00 am all the coffee had been drank, a dozen bikes had been repaired, plenty of snacks had been noshed and roughly 185 commuters had passed through our hospitality station.  A rousing success!  Bike to Work Day was the kickoff to Bike Week, be sure to check out the Bike Week event calendar for plenty of other fun bike-centric events through June 11th.

If you commute to the College by bike and have suggestions as to how we can improve our bike facilities, please reach out to our Environmental Initiatives Coordinator, Geoff Heath.

Spring has sprung and next week is all about active and sustainable transportation. The College will be celebrating by participating in the Commuter Challenge (June 4-11), hosting a Bike to Work Day Pit Stop (June 5), and leading a group ride from NDC to Sargent Sundae for ice cream (June 8).

The Commuter Challenge is a friendly workplace competition to encourage active and sustainable travel. This event encourages people to use sustainable transportation during the week for their mental and physical health, to minimize their impact on the environment and for workplaces to demonstrate commitment to environmental sustainability. During the pandemic, the challenge was expanded to include recreational activities outside of commuting. This year, the challenge will be focusing on commuting once again.

Any kilometers travelled using active and/or sustainable modes of transportation that are related to your daily commutes qualify. That could include your bike ride, walk or roll to work/school, taking transit, carpooling or even telecommuting (your commute isn’t producing any carbon emissions if you’re working/schooling from home!).

Participating is easy! First, register using the RRC Polytech link then, either daily or at the end of the week log your KMs travelled. Anyone who logs their sustainable KMs during Commuter Challenge 2023 is eligible to win one of dozens of prizes, including:

Grand Prize: Two Any-Day passes to Winnipeg Folk Festival 2023
Grand Prize: Two night stay at Wild Skies Resort
Grand Prize: FREE Bus Pass for a Year with Winnipeg Transit

For extra incentive, all RRC Polytech participants will also be eligible to win a bonus prize of a $100 gift certificate for Jane’s restaurant!

Bike to Work Day

On Monday, June 5 the College will be hosting a Bike to Work Day pit stop from 6:30-9 AM at the foot bridge at Omand’s Creek. Stop by to grab a coffee or a snack, get a quick tune-up and meet some fellow RRC Polytech bike enthusiasts.

Bike to Work Day kicks off the tenth annual Bike Week Winnipeg, a whole week celebrating bikes and anyone who rides them in our fair city. Check out their events page for group rides, workshops, leisure and cultural events that encourage all Winnipeggers to get on their bikes and ride.

Our own Campus Well Being team is organizing a special ride to Sargent Sundae on June 8 at noon leaving from NDC. Bring your bike to the Notre Dame Campus bus loop at 12pm to join a special lunch hour ride from noon to 1:30pm. Please register so they know whom to expect. Remember to bring your helmet, some water, and money to buy ice cream. Contact Kristi, Recreation and Wellness Coordinator with questions. Subscribe or visit the Campus Well-Being blog for ongoing event and activities information.

On Earth Day 2023, RRC Polytech is celebrating the achievement of receiving a STARS Silver Rating in recognition of its sustainability achievements from the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education, or AASHE. With more than 900 participants in 40 countries, AASHE’s STARS program is the most widely recognized framework in the world for publicly reporting comprehensive information related to a college or university’s sustainability performance.

“Sustainability is embedded in the culture at RRC Polytech,” says Lynn Zapshala-Kelln, Vice-President, Finance and Administration. “This STARS Silver rating is both a celebration of our collective accomplishments and a benchmark for identifying future opportunities to advance sustainability at RRC Polytech.”

Highlights of RRC Polytech’s recent sustainability efforts include the construction of the new Manitou a bi Bii daziigae building, designed to LEED Gold standards, and the coordinated efforts to re-use and donate over 1,900 furniture items and 3.5 tonnes of books and household items during the move of the Language Training Centre from its old location into the new building.

“Sustainability doesn’t belong to one department; it’s a way for the College to come together around common goals,” says Maria Mendes, Director of Environmental Stewardship and Campus Renewal. “This achievement is a testament to RRC Polytech’s leadership at all levels when it comes to sustainability efforts in teaching and applied research, outreach and engagement, college operations, and institutional planning and administration.”

“STARS was developed by the campus sustainability community to provide high standards for recognizing campus sustainability efforts,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “RRC Polytech has demonstrated a substantial commitment to sustainability by achieving a STARS Silver Rating and is to be congratulated for their efforts.”

The RRC Polytech STARS report is public and can be found online.

As we jump into the week leading up to Earth Day, we’d like to take a moment to welcome and introduce Geoff Heath, the newest member of the Sustainability team! As the new Environmental Initiatives Coordinator, he will be connecting with staff and students to help reduce consumption of materials on campus, working towards re-using and repairing items when possible, and attempting to recycle or compost just about everything else.   

Learn more about Geoff in his own words… 

Hi RRC Polytech, I’m Geoff Heath, the new Environmental Initiatives Coordinator. I’m learning lots about all the great sustainability initiatives across our campuses and look forward to engaging with y’all to continue improving upon them. 

I have an academic background in biology and have spent most of my adult life in the world of environmental advocacy.  I recently worked for 11 years as a founding director at The WRENCH, a local youth bike repair education organization. If you have any bike related questions, please ask, I’m very happy to help! 

Having spent the past decade working to empower individuals with sustainability skills, I’m excited to have a role here at RRC Polytech facilitating change at an institutional level.  When I started in this field 20 years ago people were always questioning why they ought make the sustainable choice.   We’ve come a long way since then!  In my first couple weeks here at the College I’m instead hearing “How can we make the sustainable choice?”  I’m looking forward to being part of the team here helping to make that cultural shift towards meeting our sustainability goals. 

If you have a waste diversion initiative or other project you’d like to discuss please drop me a line at gheath@rrc.ca or pop by our office at C515 on the Notre Dame Campus. 

As the new school year starts many are coming to RRC Polytech for the first time, and many are returning after a long time away. So, to help your transition, here’s a roundup of what you need to know about being sustainable on campus.

Greening Your Campus Commute

If you are coming to campus, there are many options for traveling sustainably and the College is working actively to support you in choosing those options.  Below are some tips to help you plan your transit or bike trip to campus.

Taking Transit to Campus

Many Transit routes conveniently service our Winnipeg Campuses. Here are some tips to help you plan your trip:

• Transit has a handy trip planning tool called Navigo. Simply enter your information and it will provide multiple options. Tip: If you don’t know the address of your campus, type in “Red River College” and a list of campuses will pop up for you to select from.
• You can use one of many park-and-ride locations across the City if Transit isn’t an option for your complete commute.
• If you have accessibility barriers to using the City’s fixed route transit system, Winnipeg Transit Plus offers door-to-door transportation.
• On campus and wondering when your next bus will arrive? Look for one of our Real-Time Transit Screens – stay warm and dry inside while you check the real-time status of your next bus.
• Did you know that most RRC Polytech Students and Staff are eligible for reduced rates on some Winnipeg Transit passes?
• Please make sure to review Winnipeg Transit’s COVID-19 protocols before planning your trip

Cycling to Campus

Considering riding your bike to campus? Here are some tools to support you:

Trip Planning:

• Google Maps allows you to plan your trip by bike and also has a “Biking” layer to check which routes are most bike friendly.
• The City of Winnipeg Bike Map outlines cycling routes and the Pedestrian and Cycling Proposed Network to help you plan your trip. Pick up a copy at Security at both the Notre Dame Campus and the Exchange District Campus.
• Still not sure about riding your bike to campus? Contact us! We’ll be happy to help you plan your route and we can even help set you up with a bike buddy!

Bike Maintenance and Security:

If you need to perform some minor maintenance on your bike before heading home, we have repair stations available at both the Notre Dame Campus (NDC) and the Roblin Centre. These stations have a stand to hold your bike and some commonly used tools.

If you’re using a conveniently located bike rack at one of our campuses, be sure to use a U-Lock and follow these tips to dramatically increase the security of your bike. Looking for added security for your bike? See the options below at both NDC and EDC.

The Notre Dame Campus has 30 bike lockers to offer extra security and protection from the elements for your bike, bag and helmet. These lockers are free to use (subject to availability) although there is a refundable key deposit. To sign up for a bike locker, visit the NDC Campus Store.

The Exchange District Campus has 51 indoor bike parking stalls in two card-swipe secured bike rooms – 35 in the basement of Paterson GlobalFoods Institute (PGI) and 16 on the main floor of Manitou a bi Bii daziigae. Staff and students can get access for free (but you need to provide your own lock). You will need your Staff/Student ID Card to access the room.

Please note: the bike room at Manitou a bi Bii daziigae is currently full, but there are some spots available at PGI.

Working Towards a Zero Waste Campus

We’ve got a variety of programs to divert materials from the landfill and give them another useful life. But, we can’t do it without you! Here are some ways you can help us in our work towards becoming a Zero Waste Campus:

Waste, Recycling and Compost

Garbage and Recycling bins are conveniently located in central locations around campus. Our program consists of three bins: two for recycling (paper and containers) and one for garbage. Large “Pitch In” signs above many of these trios will help you figure out where to put something if you’re not sure.

At NDC, pre-consumer organic waste is collected from kitchens and taken to our on-site compost pile which is managed by our Grounds crew. At PGI, both pre-consumer organic waste collected from kitchens and culinary labs and post-consumer organic waste (your unfinished lunch for example) collected in the Annex are transported to a commercial composting facility.

Other Recycling Programs

ReBins are located at NDC (by the Campus Store and in the Library) and the EDC (in the Roblin Centre Atrium outside the Campus Store). These bins collect markers, pens, and pencils for recycling; plastic bags for reuse; and batteries for recycling.

All faculty, staff and students can also recycle their disposable masks – including 3-ply surgical, dust masks, and KN95/N95 masks – by placing them in any of the mask recycling boxes listed below:

EDC Mask Recycling Locations

• Roblin Centre, north entrance
• Paterson GlobalFoods Institute (PGI), third floor by the lockers

NDC Mask Recycling Locations

• South Parking Lot, by Commissionaires Booth
• STTC Building, main entrance
• Building J, north entrance

Find out more about our integrated waste and recycling program.

Eco Mug

Don’t forget your reusable mug when you go to fill up on coffee or tea – prevent a disposable coffee cup going to the landfill and save yourself 10 cents!

Water

There are more than 50 water bottle filling stations located in convenient locations around most of our campuses. Save money and the environment this year by filling your reusable water bottle with cold, filtered water at one of these stations.

Connect With Us

Our Sustainability Team holds many events throughout the year. To keep up to date with our latest news, get involved with us, or learn more about how to make your campus life more sustainable: find us on Facebook, Instagram and subscribe to our blog.

Now that spring is finally (!) here, it’s time for the Commuter Challenge.  The Commuter Challenge is a friendly workplace competition to encourage active and sustainable ways to travel.  From June 5 to June 11, join the challenge and celebrate all the sustainable ways to get around – walk, bike, wheel, rollerblade, take transit, carpool, telecommute – whether it’s for work or for play.  It’s a great way to get outside, get active, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and you can even win some great prizes! Here’s how you can participate.

• Register for the Commuter Challenge using the RRC Polytech link.  Log your kilometers travelled and see how much our actions can add up.  All trips can be counted, whether it’s a walk around the neighbourhood, biking to the park or telecommuting to work.  The Green Action Centre has lined up some amazing prizes for participants.
• Play RRC Polytech Commuter Challenge Wordle!  We have a top secret five letter word, and there are five activities in the table below.  For each activity you complete, send us a photo (email sustainability@rrc.ca or Instagram @rrcgoesgreen) and we’ll send you one letter from the word. If you guess the word correctly by 4:00 pm on Friday June 10, you’ll be entered to win a $100 gift card from Le Marche St Norbert Farmers’ Market, or a local market of your choice.  There’s also a participation prize – for each activity completed, you will be entered to win a $50 gift card.  We’ll share photos and stories on Instagram and Facebook. The contest is open to RRC Polytech staff and faculty.

• This year Bike Week is the same week, so there are lots of opportunities to get your Commuter Challenge kms.  Monday June 6 is Bike to Work Day and the RRC Polytech pit stop is returning new and improved! This year, we are partnering with Assiniboine Park Conservancy on a pit stop on the north side of the Assiniboine Park footbridge on Portage Avenue at Overdale Street (across from Sargent Sundae). Come visit us on June 6 and enjoy some treats, get your bike chain cleaned, get a RRC Polytech Wordle letter, and enter the prize draw. 

The recent sustainability survey showed that sustainable transportation is important to staff and students.  Whether you are biking to work, walking to the grocery store or carpooling with friends, choosing active and sustainable transportation can be rewarding for our health and our planet.  

See you at the Commuter Challenge! 

The results of the RRC Polytech sustainability survey are in – sustainability is important, and people are engaged.  The survey was sent to staff and students in February and a whopping 650 staff (30%) and 1,100 students (13%) responded, showing how much people care about sustainability.  This reflects the trend in Canada and globally, that people are increasingly concerned about the environment, and they want to live more sustainably.  

This was the most comprehensive survey on sustainability at the college in 10 years, with questions on sustainability culture (how people feel) and literacy (what people know).  The survey results are used to help inform our Sustainability Tracking, Assessment & Rating System (STARS) report and develop programs and initiatives. 

Here are some highlights from the survey results.

Sustainability Culture

The culture of sustainability at the college is resoundingly positive.  Most staff and students said that environmental sustainability is important, they want to learn more about sustainability, and they consider social sustainability when making purchases.  This echoes the value of sustainability in the 2022-2026 Strategic Plan.

Environmental Priorities

With sustainability as a value that guides us, there are many different areas we can focus our efforts.  Staff and students identified reducing / minimizing waste and other waste diversion programs as the most important environmental sustainability issue to address.  Waste reduction and diversion are some of the most visible sustainability programs at the college.  The second priority identified is to increase awareness and education, followed by support for sustainable transportation.  All three priorities help reduce our greenhouse gas emissions.

Sustainability Literacy

Understanding sustainability and its main concepts can help affect change. When asked to identify the three main components of sustainability, 41% of staff and 31% of students successfully identified economic, environmental and social, while 43% of staff and 52% of students selected reduce, reuse, recycle.

This is not surprising, given the effectiveness of the 3R messaging and the decrease in visibility and communication on sustainability during the pandemic.  Historically more staff answered this question successfully.  This year had the lowest successful response rate.  

For the other literacy questions, most staff and students could successfully define a life cycle analysis (89% / 68%); define the concept of Zero Waste (91% / 77%); and identify the food with the highest carbon footprint (81% / 67%).

Social Sustainability

Social sustainability is fundamentally interconnected with environmental sustainability.  We asked staff and students to identify examples of social sustainability.  Most staff (76%) and students (68%) identified truth and reconciliation, which could be connected to increased focus and education.  A much smaller number of staff (29%) and students (18%) identified accessible technology (using closed captioning in course materials).  For this question, all the answers are examples of social sustainability at the college.

The survey results showed that staff and students value sustainability and have a good understanding of the concepts.  The results provided us with feedback on what’s going well and where we can improve.  Thank you to everyone who completed the survey, your answers provide valuable input and help inform sustainability work at the college. 

Earth Day is celebrated worldwide on April 22 as a day to support the environment, raise awareness and work towards a more sustainable future.  From community clean ups and local events to international virtual events, there are many ways to celebrate Earth Day and help protect our planet.  At RRC Polytech, we want to celebrate all the positive impacts our community has on the environment.  Here’s how you can participate. 

Show us your Sustainability! – For Earth Day, we’ve paired up with the RRC Polytech Students’ Association to shine a light on our staff and students.  What sustainable actions do you take at home, at work or at play?  From Tuesday April 19 to Friday April 22, send us a photo of you doing something good for the earth, such as saving energy, reducing waste or greening your commute, according to the themes below.  For each day you send a photo, you’ll be entered to win a prize at the end of the week – a $50 VISA gift card and a new sustainability mug! *

• Tuesday April 19 – Sustainability at Home – Send us a photo of you saving energy, reducing plastics, gardening or shoveling snow off your garden (!), or any at home sustainable action.
• Wednesday April 20 – Reducing Waste – What do you do to minimize waste and reduce, reuse, recycle or compost? 
• Thursday April 21 – Green Travel – Send us a photo of your sustainable ways to travel – walk, bike, roller blade, transit, carpool, etc.
• Friday April 22 – All in for Earth Day – Send us a photo of any sustainable action on Earth Day!

Email your photos to sustainability@rrc.ca or direct message us on Instagram @rrcgoesgreen.  Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for more details. 

* The contest is open to current RRC Polytech staff and students. Photos received may be shared on our social media accounts or in other communications. Please contact us with any questions.

State of Sustainability – Join our virtual presentation on Friday April 22 at noon to hear about the sustainability highlights from the past year, including innovative green building features of Manitou a bi Bii daziigae, waste reduction initiatives and how we are measuring our sustainability performance.  We’ll also share the results of the recent sustainability survey, including the most important environmental sustainability issue for staff and students (hint: it’s one of the photo contest theme topics). 

Earth Day is a great opportunity to support the environment and support each other in taking steps towards sustainability.  Thanks to all the staff, students and faculty who contribute to sustainability in the college community.  Happy Earth Day!

It’s 2022 and masks continue to be an everyday staple in our lives. Throughout the pandemic, mask guidelines have evolved as new information becomes available.  At the college, health and safety remains the top priority and a new requirement to wear medical grade masks or KN95/N95 masks was introduced in January 2022. 

Many people are concerned about the environmental impact of disposable masks. In response to these concerns, Red River College Polytechnic was proud to be the first public institution in Manitoba to set up a disposable mask recycling program at our Notre Dame Campus in February, 2021.  Since then, we have sent an estimated 44,000 masks to be recycled!

Building on this program’s success, we’re excited to announce the expansion of the disposable mask recycling program to the Exchange District Campus.  All faculty, staff and students can bring their used disposable masks – including 3-ply surgical, dust masks, and KN95/N95 masks – to any of the mask recycling boxes listed below:

Exchange District Campus Mask Recycling Locations

• Roblin Centre, north entrance
• Paterson GlobalFoods Institute, third floor by the lockers

Notre Dame Campus Mask Recycling Locations

• South Parking Lot, by Commissionaires Booth
• STTC Building, main entrance
• Building J, north entrance

Masks can only be recycled in the boxes at these locations, and not in the regular recycling bins. The masks are recycled using TerraCycle’s Zero Waste Box program, where they are separated into component parts and recycled into plastic lumber and composite material used in outdoor furniture, decking and shipping pallets.  Find out more about mask recycling here.  Thanks to our wonderful faculty, staff and students for supporting this program and helping to keep disposable masks out of the landfill.