NC’s Office of Sustainability and five NC students spent Earth Hour on Saturday, March 24 at World Wildlife Fund headquarters in Toronto as participants in its Designing Change for a Living Planet event.
Part of the WWF’s call for all eyes on accelerating change to protect and restore the planet. the participants discussed how innovations – from bike share programs to online paperless banking – have almost overnight changed the way people shop, commute, learn, access entertainment, and connect with others, and how these big shifts have had local, regional, even global reach.
Participants had an opportunity to draw inspiration from their everyday experiences and create and innovate with their campus teams, connect with other postsecondary students and network with professionals from different industries.
“There is really no better way to celebrate Earth Hour than being surrounded by such amazing student energy, all coming together for a common cause – the environment,” said NC sustainability engagement officer Amber Schmucker. “Our team presented an amazing concept that was well received by the panel of judges, WWF staff, and their peers. We are so proud of their accomplishment and are so fortunate to have been part of such an amazing event.”
Industry professionals in attendance included Frances Edmonds, HP Canada’s director of environmental programs; Simon Guan, General Motors Canada’s sustainability programs manager; Howard Chang, Top Drawer Creative’s president and CEO; and WWF senior species conservation specialist Peter Ewins, PhD.
This event is part of WWF’s pilot program Living Planet @Campus. This program is a platform to engage students in sustainability on campus. NC’s Office of Sustainability has been actively involved in this pilot program and sat on the planning committee for the Designing Change for a Living Planet event.
NC participants included Christine Combe (Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate certificate program); Katie Bristow (Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate certificate); Jon Banninga (Environmental Technician, Field and Laboratory); Leslie Orzel (Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate certificate); and Emmalena Huyer (Environmental Management and Assessment post-graduate certificate).
-Info submitted from the Office of Sustainability
