A Greener Future

by Emma Beattie, Ryerson University

Being ecologically conscious when living in student housing/residences and handling the stress of your university years is tough, but implementing a few of these tips can go a long way to reducing your impact on our earth!

Food/Drink

Bring your own cutlery if the cafeteria doesn’t have reusables of it’s own. Imagine the waste if everyone used a disposable knife and fork three times a day!

 Opt for whole fruits(apples, pears, banana, etc. found in the bins) rather than pre-cut portions packaged in plastic containers.

 Bring your own water bottle instead of wasting precious meal plan dollars on sugary iced teas and pop.

 Invest in a floor/personal kettle and french press for making tea and coffee instead of using a paper cup every morning.

 Go without a lid when purchasing a soup/salad/etc, especially if you are eating in the caf (the combination of a lidless soup and taking the stairs is, however, not recommended).

 Ask for smaller servings (especially of rice) in the cafeteria if you often don’t finish your meals.

 Save leftovers for snacks rather than throwing them out.

 Bring a reusable cup to parties and avoid endless solo cups (bonus: you will always know which drink is yours).

 Buy Mr. Noodles in bags and use your own mug instead of buying cups of noodles.

  Your Room

 Avoid using AC/heating unless you are truly uncomfortable. Put on a sweater or open a window first (you are probably more resilient than you think).

 Apply insulating plastic to your window(s) - Called “window shrink film” at Canadian Tire, it decreases heat loss through cold windows in the winter.

 Use a power bar to easily switch off all of your electronics and chargers when you leave your room.

  Laundry/Chores

 Air dry your clothes on a folding drying rack and instead of using the dryer - this makes your clothes and your laundry money last longer, saves energy, and humidifies a dry room.

 Buddy up with a floormate to do small loads of laundry (whites, towels) to prevent unnecessary cycles.

 Clean the coils behind the refrigerator once a semester. Removing the dusty build-up improves energy efficiency!

 Put a full water bottle in your toilet tank - this saves the equivalent of the volume of the bottle in water with every flush.

 Remember reusable grocery bags!

  Miscellaneous

 Take the stairs! Get your blood pumping and save the energy of the elevator by walking. If you live on a high floor instead of pressing your floor number try getting off at the floor being stopped at nearest yours and walking the rest of the way.

 Have a clothing swap with your floor - recycle clothes and avoid a shopping trip all at once.

Read Event Descriptions Here Tuesday, November 4th

Lake Ontario Evenings: “Microplastics” Edition, 6-9pm, Gladstone Hotel, 1214 Queen Street West

Click for link

“Join us to learn more about the emerging issue of microplastics in the Great Lakes, with an emphasis on the Toronto region. Listen to leading experts in the field of microplastics discuss their research into microplastics in the environment, the origins of the plastics and how Lake Ontario is affected.” 

  Selling off Diversity: The Governance of Ethnic Business Districts in Transatlantic Comparison, 10am-12pm, 4th Floor Jorgenson Board Room

The presentation is going to give an overview about a comparative study of Berlin and Toronto that started in October 2014. By investigating neighborhood and locally-based policies, and globally circulating approaches in a relational perspective, the project asks about the contradiction of the political objective of branding and the requirements of migrant entrepreneurs as research objects.

  Wednesday, November 5th

  The Ethics of Political Leadership Seminar, 1pm-5pm, TRSM

Click for link

“What impact does the ethical behaviour of political leaders have on the quality of modern democracy? How does it affect the quality of public policy, and what are its effects on the public’s willingness to become involved in the political process? Join us for a half-day event exploring these questions. Our keynote speaker is Preston Manning.”

  Thursday November 6th- Sunday November 9th

  Planet In Focus Film Festival, Varying Times and Locations

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Student Tickets: $10

A film festival highlighting environmental issues and concerns.

  Thursday November 6th

  Main Street Retail: Animating The Public Realm Through Active Retail And Commercial Uses, 9:30am-12:30pm, Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, 2nd Floor Committee Room 1

Click for link

“Toronto historic main streets network, one of the most extensive in North America, forms a critical backbone within the city. Main streets are Toronto's social gathering places, the heart of retail commerce, and the movement arteries that connect the city together. The health and vibrancy of our main streets is directly connected with the quality, design, and function of its retail land uses. With increasing development and shifting demographics along Toronto's Avenues, how can we ensure that our main streets continue to play their critical role in sustaining complete communities? This Main Street Retail panel brings together a variety of perspectives on the topic to talk about shared issues and to discuss potential long-term solutions.”

  Conflict Resolution and Negotiation Workshop, 12pm-2pm, POD 372

Click for link

Register by Nov. 6th

“At this workshop you will learn how to resolve conflicts and negotiate more effectively by learning about the skills that are most commonly used by individuals who are widely recognized as excellent negotiators.”

  Stress Free Writing, 4-5:30pm, Lib 386 C

Click for link

“In this workshop, participants will learn to examine and modify some of their assumptions about writing that might be causing stress and anxiety. All students who feel stressed about writing will benefit from taking this workshop.”

  Friday November 7th

  Nature in the City Walk, 1:30pm, Meet In Front of Student Centre on Gould Street

Click for link 

Cities are developing all over the world at an accelerating rate, and we need to start evolving our idea of cities with this. Let's continue integrating nature INTO our cities, and viewing our cities as our natural environment; not separate from nature. Come explore nature in the city, on a walk/exploration led by fellow Ryerson students. As we're enthusiasts (not experts) this isn't a walking lecture, but we will be stopping and discovering more about tree IDs, urban forest health, medicinal plants, the Don River, and the role of nature in the city!

  Saturday November 8th- Sunday November 9th

  Day of the Dead Festival, Habourfront

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“Uncover the ancient and contemporary stories, rituals and practices of Mexico and other Latin American countries with Day of the Dead. A joyous festival celebrating the living memory of the dearly departed, it's a vibrant way to usher in the Canadian holiday season.”

  Tuesday, November 11th

  EUSSA Clothing SWAP, 5:30-8pm, Margaret Lawrence Room (SCC)

  Remembrance Day Ceremony, 10:45-11:45am, North End of the Quad

  Wednesday, November 12th

  Africa, Caribbean, & South American Tea House, 3:30-5pm, POD 60 Lounge

Click for link

“Students can come to meet peers from different countries, learn about their cultural traditions, and walk away with a better awareness of Ryerson's international community. Canadian and international students will have the opportunity to learn a great deal about different countries, cultures and customs.”

  Thursday, November 13th

  EUS & POG & ICON Pub night, 10pm, Ram In The Rye

Details: TBA

  Sunday, November 16th  

  Lost River Walk, 2pm, Deer Park

Click for link 

old oaks, other trees & local history. Join Janet Langdon to celebrate the fine trees we have in the Deer Park neighbourhood and hear some natural & built history along the way. Easy walk along city streets. Not a circular route. Meet at the SE corner Avoca and St. Clair

  Monday, November 17th

  LEAF Event: Inspiration, Ideas and Solutions: Site Design For Urban Tree Growth In The Netherlands, 9am-12pm, City Hall Committee Room 2

Click for link

“This presentation will take you through the process of site design and construction for elm trees along the canals in the city center of Amsterdam. Having healthy trees along the historic canals is required by UNESCO, as the entire city center is designated a World Heritage Site.”

    Tuesday, November 18th

  Kick the Toxics Off Campus, Environmental Defense Workshop

Details TBA

  Wednesday, November 19th  

  Métropole du Grand Paris: Planning and integrating the Paris metro region, 6:30- 8:30pm, Victoria College Building 73 Queens Park Crescent East

Click for link

  Greenest City Presents: Growing Cities – A Film About Urban Farming, 6:30pm, Bloor Hot Docs Cinema 506 Bloor Street West

Tickets: $12

Growing Cities is a film about urban farming in America. Get an inside look at how growing amazing food in cities is producing stronger and more vibrant communities. Key people and organizations growing food in Toronto will inform and inspire you! Funds raised go to Greenest City programs.

  Thursday, November 20th

  EUS & UP Documentary Night, 6:30

Details: TBA

  Engaging In-Between Spaces: Toronto’s Summit On Laneways, 6-10pm, The Great Hall 1087 Queen Street West

Click for link

Tickets: $10

The Laneway Project presents: Toronto’s first summit on laneways. Moderated by CBC’s Mary Weins, 5 speakers will give short presentations on the potential of our city’s laneways:

How we can transform our laneways into more vibrant, safe, and people-friendly spaces.

Laneways as transportation corridors, green infrastructure, and community gathering spaces

The cultural and economic potential of laneways

  Wednesday, November 26th

  Spacing Presents: Public Space Invaders film night

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Public Space Invaders will be a night to celebrate Toronto and public space through the art of film. Come out and see unique, independently produced short films and docs about your city.

  Friday November 28th – Sunday, November 30th

  Whole Life Expo, Metro Toronto Convention Centre

Click for link

Tickets: $10-15

The ability to vote is a fundamental right that many countries still do not have. Those countries graced with this right however have startling low participation rates. Countries of the Global North are given the ability to chose who they want to run their country while there have been many cases of those in the Global South struggling and resorting violence to gain this opportunity.

  The president of the RSU, Rajean Hoilett, once told me that just winning by majority is not enough. The number of votes cast is a key component. When student governments go to the city and ask for changes in things – such as, cheaper transit for students – the city has the ability to look at the number of students who voted for that student group. They see the participation rates, and when they are as low as they are now, they do not implement any changes because they question whether we, as a student body, truly want it. It’s the idea that if the students really wanted this they would have shown support of the group who was advocating for it.

  Currently the number of students voting in RSU elections is less than half the school population. The statistic is stunning. Students who don’t vote for their school government have nothing to gain yet everything to lose. For the city elections, if the minority of voters are students the government will spend more time paying attention to the requests of the larger voting majority.

  At present, students contribute the least amount of votes to the city election out of any other demographic. Voting is essential and a simple way of letting your voice be heard. Those who do not have to ability to vote in the city of Toronto still have the obligation to care and get informed on who is trying to run this city. Many of the commuter populations of Ryerson who cannot vote spend more time at school than at home. Because they spend more time in Toronto they will still feel the effects of any initiatives that the future mayor will implement.

  Vote to show that you care about the city.

  The Toronto mayoral election is on the 27th of October, 2014. Olivia Chow, John Tory, or Doug Ford. These are our mayoral candidates. Know each of the candidates’ platforms and make the informed decision. Together as students we can show that we want to see change for us and for the city. We are the future of this country and if we cannot go out and vote who is to say that we can make this a better world.

Wild Foragers Society is a Toronto based group that is all about exploring the world of wild edibles; from plants to trees, and even fungi!

Foragers identifying the leaves of a Raspberry Plant for use in making teas

The group meets the first Monday of each month to frolic around Toronto, talk about, find, and learn how to utilize edible vegetation throughout the seasons. To quote, Becky and Lee (two epic leaders of WFS), “Wild Foragers Society empowers people to learn about their local, edible landscapes and facilitates the sharing of wild plant skills amongst community.” Personally, WFS has led me to discover and gain a greater appreciation for the magical world of plants that surrounds us everyday.

People attending a Wild Forager's Society "Frolic"

Different uses of the plants we find include cooking, making lip balms, salves, and tisane (AKA as tea - that’s what you call herbal tea that doesn’t contain the tea plant). Earlier this summer I used my foraging skills to make a tasty pesto sauce out of a local invasive species, Garlic Mustard!

Pesto made from foraged Wild Mustard

Wanna jump into the world of wild edibles? Well, Wild Foragers Society is meeting this Monday, Oct. 6th! The meeting will take place from 6pm-8pm. The location is to be determined, but you can find more details at: https://www.facebook.com/events/1484054218474052/?sid_reminder=6106535684854513664

The weekend of September 19-21st marks a weekend that will go down in history as the world’s largest environmental protest. Around the globe, communities marched in solidarity to express society’s desperate need to make climate change a priority. This worldwide movement was headed in New York City, where approximately 400, 000 people took to the streets right before a summit on climate change was to be attended by heads of state. Some of Ryerson’s Environment and Urban Sustainability students attended the climate rally in New York. The following is account of this previous weekend’s events as told by EUSSA’s president, Claire Stevenson-Blythe: When boarding at 8pm on Friday at Bloor and Bathurst, there was an air of excitement and anticipation. A diverse group of people- of all ages, all backgrounds, all stories; and yet here we were, ready to travel for eleven hours on the five busses that would take us to New York City for the People’s Climate March. At 7am we arrived at The Church of St. Luke and St. Matthew in Brooklyn, and quickly headed out to explore New York. There were a number of events and workshops running and a group of us attended #Frackoff: Indigenous Women Leading Media Campaigns to Defend Our Climate. I think I can speak for us all when I say these presentations, led by Indigenous women from different communities around North America, were incredibly motivating and quite shocking to those of us who hadn't been taught about Indigenous peoples and their struggle, both historically and presently. The awe-inspiring presentations were concluded by the thirteen-year-old Ta'kaiya Blaney, who gave an incredibly well spoken, beautiful speech and performance. An idea she posed continues to circle around my mind: "[To consider] not only the question of what land will we leave for our children, but what children will we leave for our land?" It was incredibly grounding to have such a courageous young person address the idea of raising our future generations with an awareness and respect for the land that sustains all life on earth. Upon returning to the Church, it had been decorated with vibrant banners and posters, and an art station to create our own. Sunday, the day of the march, began with groups gathering in lower Manhattan around 11am. Toronto350, the organization we came with, was situated by Central Park, with marchers stretching far beyond us. There was a colourful plethora of hand-made signs, ranging from "Respect your Mama" to "Our Home On Native Land: Settlers in Solidarity." The march was scheduled to start at 11:30am, and people were becoming restless as 12:45pm passed and still we had not began. A woman who had been leading many of the chants (ex. "Tell me what democracy looks like! This is what democracy looks like!") told the crowd around her that the reason it had been so delayed was because people were joining from the side streets. She passed around her phone, which held a photo of an immense crowd pouring into the main street from both sides. This moment solidified what I, and what many others were feeling: an ecstatic togetherness, the feeling that the masses were joining on this historical day. At 12:58pm, a silence rolled over the crowd. For two minutes, the hundreds of thousands of people raised their hands and commemorated all of those who had been victims to climate change. We thought of Indigenous groups, people who suffer through [un]natural disasters, and those subject to  “environmental racism.” At 1pm, the crowd roared. We screamed and yelled and jumped and made all the noise we could make. These vivacious, demanding, and dedicated screams continued until the crowd commenced breaking into a different sound, a chant, saying "The People! United! Will Never Be Defeated!" Within twenty minutes, we were moving, and on went the march. Children were holding signs that read, "I'm ten, and I'm mad." There were dinosaurs made of petrol jugs. Groups upon groups of chanting, singing, drumming, laughing, crying, angry, fed-up, hopeful, excited, and collective people marching in solidarity to show the leaders of the world that things need to change, and they need to change now.

   Photo courtesy of EUS Student, Courtney Carrier

For me, the New York City People’s Climate March represents that we are going to hold our leaders accountable. We are going to be here, continuously demanding equality, for our people, and for our earth. And as the final speaker Shelley A. Young in the #FrackOff discussion said so calmly and strongly, "We are not going to stop."

Imagine: You finally land that interview for your dream job. You show up with your brand new outfit. Your freshly printed resume reads that you graduated with a degree from Ryerson University. They respond, “Yes, that’s great, but what did you do during your four years at school?” How do you answer? Having your degree should be the key to getting the job. But is it really?

  We live in a society where the standards for getting a job are harder. Gone are the days where graduating from college guarantees you any job in your related field. Employers are looking for people who have done something – anything – outside of the classroom.

  “Were you involved in your course union? Did you run for a position on student government? Oh, interesting, tell me more about your role in Model UN. What did you do to benefit the Blue and Gold Ball; I see that you volunteered for it.” Volunteered, work-study, etc. It’s words like these that catch the eyes of future employers.

  Ryerson University is known for being a commuter school; sometimes that means being a school with a lack of community involvement. And we get it! Having to commute an hour (on a good day) is awful. Students want to come to class and then head straight home.

  But! Have you ever stayed on campus so late you saw the beautiful array of lights radiating from the Image Arts Building? Or watched the couples dancing near Lake Devo to Latin salsa music? Have you stayed on campus so late you can hear the laughter and loud music emanating from what can only be the Ram-in-the-Rye? No? Why not?

  Ryerson is a breath of fresh air. We are living in one of the most diverse cities in the world, and Ryerson reflects that within its community. Are you from South Asia, enjoy Harry Potter, and love improv? There’s a club for that. Perhaps not a club for all three at once, but many clubs nevertheless.

  Here at Ryerson we want you to get involved! And to get involved not just to build your resume but because you want to make a difference, discover your passions, and feel connected to your peers. Leave Ryerson with a mark, YOUR mark. Start your own club, become the communication chair of Ryeflix; be a part of the Ryerson Orientation Team, join a sports’ club! Your options are limitless.

Being a part of a club or student group at Ryerson has amazing benefits: free food, t-shirts, laughs, memories, and friendships. For many of those who are actively involved within Ryerson they often say it’s the communities they found that make them feel they’ve benefited from and made a difference at this amazing place called Ryerson University. It’s never too late to get involved. Deciding to look at the list of student groups and clubs is the first step in making our “Ramily” grow.

Join a group: http://rsuonline.ca/section/111

Allan Gardens Conservatory , Horticultural Avenue Allan Gardens is the perfect location to escape from the stresses of a busy university day. This large greenhouse complex is a four minute walk away from Ryerson’s campus, and is so extremely lush that not only will you forget your 1400 word essay is due tomorrow, you may even forget you're in Toronto in the first place #JungleAdventure?

Fresh, 147 Spadina Avenue

Craving something to chow down on between classes? Whether you’re a dedicated veg-head or someone who is up for a little culinary adventure, Toronto’s Fresh is the go-to restaurant for vegetarian/vegan cuisine, juices and smoothies. Plus, they get bonus points for having a section on sustainability on their website. Although there are four locations in Toronto, Fresh on Spadina Ave is the closest to campus.

Lower Don River Trail, Don River Valley

One of the true havens within Toronto is the Lower Don River Trail. Just East of Ryerson, its a beautiful place to walk, run, bike, and enjoy nature within the city. When you’re there its as if the other 2.8 million people in Toronto don’t exist at all #StressBuster

Ryerson's Farmers' Market, Gould Street

Want to connect to the campus, Toronto, and get your grocery shopping done all in one trip? Look no further than Ryerson’s own Farmer’s Market. Held on Wednesdays from 11:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m. until Oct. 25th, Ryerson’s Farmer’s Market features local businesses from around Toronto and the GTA area as well as fresh produce from Ryerson’s own student-run garden, Rye’s Homegrown.

The Green Podium Roof (Toronto City Hall), 100 Queen West

Toronto’s City Hall is for more than just politics. It’s also a beautiful urban refuge, boasting Toronto’s largest green roof. With 3, 250 square metres of green goodness and open year round, it’s an extensive green roof system any EUS student could be proud of. P.S. The view of the CN Tower is stunning.

Honourable Mentions:

Evergreen Brick Works: "a community environmental centre" full of farmers' markets, workshops, and events.

Kensington Market: eco-friendly food, coffee and clothing shops; a lovely place to walk around and explore.

Ward's Island (part of the Toronto Islands): a fun, quirky, and unique island that is just a ferry ride away. There are beaches for swimming (one is clothing-optional).

The Environment and Urban Sustainability Students Association (EUSSA) is a student run organization that seeks to represent the Environment and Urban Sustainability (EUS) students and faculty, while promoting sustainability on campus and around Toronto.

In the past we have held documentary and speaker events, welcoming guests such as Dr. Franz Hartmann from Toronto Environmental Alliance, Rob Shirkey from Our Horizon, Jeanne Maurer, a Ryerson University professor and David Crombie, the former Mayor of Toronto. We have held social events such as "Yoga & Juice" and seasonally themed pub nights, and will continue with such events to promote the communication and integration of students within our program.

It is our hope to create a buzz around the EUS program and incorporate what we learn in the classroom to environmental, political and social activities, events and initiatives that are being organized at Ryerson and around Toronto. We, in the EUS program, have a valuable opportunity to be gaining expertise in a realm of knowledge that is steadily expanding and extremely necessary in our current local and global climate. It is the hope of EUSSA to make the most of the time that EUS students have here at Ryerson, while simultaneously making a larger impact outside of it.

For this reason, EUSSA’s social media is dedicated to connecting to, and being the voice of, the EUS program and its’ students. This is what has inspired the rebooting of our blog. Once a week an article will be published, written by one of the eight members of EUSSA. Our articles are centered on Ryerson University, Toronto, the environment, sustainability, and having a little bit of fun. Students are permitted and encouraged to submit their own works, whether it be writing, photography or anything else.

Besides the posts there are more features on our blog: an ask box, a submission box, a small blurb on our goals as EUSSA, a portion on who the members of EUSSA are, and a section in which you can find our social media outlets and contact info.

We’d like to say welcome to our incoming students, and welcome back to all our returning students. Let’s make this year amazing!