Sustain SU
Together We Can Make A World of Difference!
We are a service of the University of Alberta Students’ Union (SU) that provides peer-to-peer learning and support for all undergraduate students to incorporate sustainability into every aspect of their university experience. This includes providing sustainability-based services to the entire campus community, as well as opportunities to facilitate change on a larger scale.
Volunteer with us!
Our volunteer applications are currently closed for all of our teams for the 2023/24 academic year. For future opportunities, please refer to our Instagram our Volunteer Opportunities page.
We have worked hard to restructure our volunteer teams to better reflect volunteer interest and to better support our teams. As such, we have a number of initiatives that are outlined below.
Sustainable Action Team: The Sustainable Action Team is new to Sustain SU’s programming in 2023 and is a combination of two of our pre-existing programs: the Reusable Dish Program and the Special Projects Team. The Reusable Dish Program (RDP) is a service offered to U of A campus community members and more, providing reusable cutlery, cups and dishes for events and programs. The service is free for those associated directly with the University of Alberta. For those that are not, there is a small fee ranging from $5 to $10 per user based on the number of items ordered. Historically, the Special Projects Team has worked to develop special projects in SUB that embody the three pillars of sustainability: economy, environment and equity. Now, as the Sustainable Action Team, they will continue to work on special project development that will support the advancement of the Reusable Dish Program in the Students’ Union Building to effectively mitigate waste of single-use items at events and in SUBs day-to-day operations and other sustainability goals in relation to the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Outreach Team: The OT operates our blog and podcast. Members of this team have the opportunity to communicate with the greater campus community about sustainability awareness, the development of new and pre-existing programs and initiatives, and to advocate for their own research projects. Their resources for outreach initiatives may include research, surveying, whiteboard writing, interviews, tabling and more! This year, we are also hoping to involve the OT in our social media initiatives by having them research and design some of our posts. The OT will also collaborate with our other project teams to promote their events, projects and programs.
Green for Good Market: The Green for Good Market team is a unique pop-up market operated by Sustain SU five times over the course of the academic year. Starting in Fall 2023, this pop-up will be a combination of two of Sustain SU’s pre-existing programs: the Green Market and the UASU Farmers’ Market. Our mission is to not only provide the campus community with local, sustainable and ethical goods and services, but to raise awareness and increase involvement in sharing, thrifting, and community. Members of this volunteer-led team get to be involved in operational and logistic tasks, promotion campaigns, recruitment of vendors, activity creation, and day-of market management.
Each semester, there will be a period of time where Sustain SU Market Volunteers will collect and sort donations for swap-specific markets, taking place once each semester. Participants of the swap will receive 1:1 credits to use at the swap on the Market day(s). We also will provide an opportunity to welcome campus and community members to come shop the swap items at our pop-up by using credits or purchasing items for $2-$5, as recommended. Alongside the swap, the Green for Good Market team will continue to welcome local Edmonton vendors to our campus. On market days, expect to see vintage curators, sustainable treats, jewelry creators, and more!
Bike Library and Workshop: The Bike Library & Workshop is a community bike shop on campus and is an initiative under Sustain SU. We are fully equipped with the tools and space necessary to repair and maintain bikes. Bike repairs are DIY, however, our volunteers & Bike Library Mechanic can provide guidance and offer some help. Tool and stand use are entirely FREE, but we do take monetary donations! The Bike Library also sells used and new parts such as tubes, tires, and other accessories. We are not taking donations of bikes due to the lack of space, but feel free to donate any parts or components that are not of use to you.
Special Events Team: The Special Events team works to bring sustainable engagement and learning opportunities to volunteers and the campus community. Members of the team will have the opportunity to plan Green Space certified events that can range from campus nature walks to sustainable socials to professional panels. They are also responsible for planning the exciting internal events that help bring our 50+ volunteers together! Notably, the Special Events team will have an active role as a part of the Foundations Summit for Sustainability and Leadership (FSSL), previously titled the Alberta Student Leadership Summit (ASLS). The summit takes place annually; this year it will occur on October 21, 2023! Student volunteers will have an opportunity to participate in the conference, engage with the speakers and attendees, and play a part in the smooth operation of the event. To find out more information about the summit, check-out their website!
In each of these volunteer roles you will have the opportunity to work with likeminded individuals, learn from experts, contribute to sustainability initiatives, and be a part of a team.
Thank you for your interest!
For any related questions, please email sustain@su.ualberta.ca.
Our Initiatives:
Please note that as a result of our program restructuring this year, our website is currently under construction. You can check out our historical initiatives to get an idea of who we are and what we do, but please check out the team descriptions above or email sustain@su.ualberta.ca to get a better idea of our current operations!
To stay up-to-date on all things sustainability-related:
Subscribe to our newsletter to learn about sustainability-related events, activities, job and volunteer opportunities, as well as project updates!
Bookmark our blog page, Sustainable U!, to follow along with the sustainable happenings on campus and beyond. You will also find thought-provoking articles, how-to's and other environmental news.
Our spaces are Green Spaces Gold Certified. Certify your events, offices, and laboratories!
Phone
780-492-1648
Monday to Friday
Best available by appointment.
Sustain SU Office
0-81 Student Life Central desk
Lower Level
Students' Union Building
University of Alberta
8900 - 114 Street NW
Edmonton, AB
T6G 2J7
