Sustainability at Concordia
December 2025 Newsletter
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As the semester winds down and exams ramp up, campus energy shifts. Whether you’re gearing up for next year or need a meaningful study break, there are plenty of ways to plug into sustainability on campus.
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Community-based internship program supports transformative learning on the groundFor the last five years, Concordia’s SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation has bridged the gap between academia and grassroots communities by placing more than 350 student interns at 40 different community organizations. That impact is set to grow through a recent merger with an Office of Community Engagement program that focusses on internships with Black and Indigenous-led organizations. |
Concordia researcher Bruno Lee tackles food insecurity with rooftop greenhousesRooftop greenhouses promise fresh, local food, greener urban spaces and a more sustainable lifestyle. Yet despite growing interest, significant barriers remain — from structural challenges to energy inefficiencies — that prevent these green roofs from reaching their full potential. Bruno Lee, associate professor in the Department of Building, Civil, and Environmental Engineering, is leading research to make rooftop farms more practical, efficient and integrated with the buildings beneath them. |
Concordia researchers model a sustainable, solar-powered 15-minute cityThe rapid urbanization of the past century has made the car-centric North American city the norm. However, rising greenhouse gas emissions and fuel prices are pushing researchers and planners to look for innovative urban planning alternatives. A study by Concordia researchers builds on nearly a decade of research on mixed-use, solar-responsive neighbourhoods to propose a new model for urban development. The model combines the concept of the 15-minute city, renewable energy generation, green transportation and urban agriculture into a singular framework that significantly reduces greenhouse gas emissions while building an urban agriculture infrastructure and fostering stronger bonds within the community. |
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Hive Free Lunch Holiday Arts and Crafts Study Break Wednesday, December 3 @ 3–6 p.m. | Loyola (SC-200) Take a break from the books and get festive! Join us for a Holiday Arts & Crafts Study Break. Relax, create, and recharge before exams. Help us decorate our space and get festive before the holiday. You can even eat a free dinner while you craft! All supplies provided — just bring yourself! Symbiotic Futures: Pop-up Expo and Roundtables Wednesday, December 3 @ 1–5 p.m. | 4th Space Symbiotic Futures involves the research of artists and designers examining the materials that shape our environments. This pop-up exhibition questions how to shift perceptions around what materials have or hold value in order to create new imaginaries of care and sustainability that subvert and critique consumerism and capitalist agendas. Wednesday, December 3 @ 6-8 p.m. | SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation (LB-145) The book launch of Little Red Barns: Hiding the truth, from farm to fable by Will Potter - the result of a 10-year investigation into factory farms and rising fascism. Thursday, December 4 @ 10 a.m.-12 p.m. | SHIFT Centre for Social Transformation (LB-145) Our last free meal for students this semester is coming up next week! Join us for a pre-exam Solidarity Brunch, featuring a bagel bar and a parfait bar, where students can create a custom boss breakfast. While we eat, you can share your complaints and ideas for better campus food, and how we can help. This event is FREE – but registration is required. Sisters of the Jungle Book Talk Thursday, December 4 @ 1-3 p.m. | Hall Building (H-1267) Join Dr. Keriann McGoogan, author of Chasing Lemurs, for a discussion and Q&A about her newly published book: Sisters of the Jungle: The Trailblazing Women Who Shaped the Study of Wild Primates. Monday December 1 and 8 @ 7 p.m. | Sir George Williams University Alumni Auditorium (H-110) Join Cinema Politica for their screenings of independent, political films. Wild Kin: A Queer Ecologies Symposium Saturday, December 11 @ 12:30–5:30 p.m. | 4th Space / Online Join us for a symposium exploring how queer ecology—and the arts—can reimagine kinship, healing, and ecological belonging in response to intensifying anti-trans, homophobic, and gender-restrictive legislation. Life in Plastics, Not Fantastic Saturday, December 13 @ 9:30 a.m. | 50 Rue Saint Catherine West Recycla hosts a full-day collaborative and educational gathering inviting youth, artists, and innovators to explore creative solutions to the plastic crisis - navigating eco-anxiety through dialogue, art and innovation. Up-Cycle'd Crafting & Open House Thursday, December 18 @ 5-9 p.m. | Loyola (PS-145) Le Petit Velo Rouge is inviting everyone to the bike shop to celebrate the end of the semester and wind down for the break! You can drop in just to check out the shop and learn more about the work we do or join us in upcycling old bike parts into decorations, ornaments, gifts or whatever your heart desires! There will be free refreshments! All are welcome to join :) |
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The Decolonial Toolbox has released a new resource. Level 3: Indigenous Sovereignty invites you to forget about any definitions you may already associate with the concepts of land and territory, and instead imagine the Land as a living, breathing entity with which Indigenous Peoples are socially and sacredly involved. For the third and final level of the Decolonial Toolbox Educational Pathway, we discuss Indigenous sovereignty, the inherent right to self-determination and self-governance over traditional territories, cultures, and resources. They’re clearing out their fresh, hand-harvested vermicompost before the end of the year to make room for a new batch. Pick up is at the Concordia Greenhouse Project on the 7th floor of the Hall Building (H-763). Get 5lbs of compost for $10. |
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Let's stay in touch!
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Office of Sustainability |