BCIT features an Indigenous garden dedicated to cultivating Indigenous plants at its Burnaby campus.Supplied
At the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT), sustainability goes beyond environmental stewardship, according to Jennie Moore, director of institute sustainability at the Burnaby-based polytechnic.
“Sustainability and environmentalism are similar but different, and what makes the difference is the social equity piece,” says Moore, whose team is responsible for leading a co-ordinated approach to sustainability across BCIT, which offers applied education programs at campuses throughout Greater Vancouver.
“It’s not just about having a nice environment here,” she says. “Being a green employer isn’t just about the ecological piece – it’s also about embracing social equity.” She explains that sustainability involves working toward an ecologically healthy planet while striving to reduce the gap between “benefit-takers” and “cost-bearers.”
“We have a lot of work to do around rethinking our economy and how the benefits and costs are shared more equitably so that we can do a better job of stewarding not just our environment, but our social programs and benefits for everyone,” she adds.
This perspective informs a new strategic initiative called IDEAS that is intended to bring to life concepts relating to sustainability, environmental wellness, social equity, and more. An acronym for Indigenization/inclusion, diversity, equity, accessibility, and sustainability/student well-being, IDEAS is a paradigm shift that goes beyond being green, Moore says. It will serve as a platform for BCIT’s educational vision going forward.
“What kind of contribution are our graduates going to be making to lead purpose-driven careers that build a better world?” Moore asks rhetorically. IDEAS represents an integrated approach that formally connects BCIT’s work in several different areas, explains sustainability manager Christina Olsen.
“IDEAS is a lens through which people can view their work and change perspectives, which will change their work,” she explains. “If you do proper reconciliation, you’re going to get to sustainability.”
As Moore and Olsen work on implementing a big-picture sustainability vision for BCIT, on the ground level there are several employee- and student-led groups that promote environmental wellness.
A green team organizes “GoByBike Weeks,” two-week long campaigns that take place three times a year (winter, spring and fall). The goal is to encourage people to cycle more by getting them to log their bike trips online in exchange for a chance to win prizes. The green team also organizes an annual Sweater Day in support of climate action. Members of the campus community are encouraged to do their part in saving energy by wearing a sweater and turning down the heat.
BCIT also recently launched a “sustainability community of practice” for instructors who have an interest in environmental wellness and social responsibility. “They think about how to infuse sustainability in the curriculum,” says Olsen.
There are also several energy and greenhouse gas initiatives, including a decarbonization road map, solar panels on the main building at the Burnaby campus, and geothermal heat pumps at the Aerospace Technology Campus in Richmond, B.C. The facilities and planning teams have also made a commitment to become greenhouse gas neutral.
Overall, Moore says, there’s been a move toward greater collaboration among different departments when it comes to sustainability efforts. While BCIT is naturally in the business of educating students, there’s a growing recognition that how students are educated matters just as much. It’s important that BCIT faculty and staff impart a sense of social responsibility and respect for the environment.
“Increasingly, the culture sees that no matter what job you’re in at BCIT, being a good steward of the Earth and contributing to a better future goes collaboratively with being in this sector,” says Moore.
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