The McGill Biology Department Green Committee
About the Green Committee:
The purpose of the Green Committee is to promote sustainability in the Biology Department. We aim to think broadly and creatively about sustainable practices, focusing on stewardship, community, and livelihoods. The current version of the committee was established in 2022.
Sustainability:
Sustainability seeks to promote long-term visioning, to ensure that the world will continue to have the resources needed for a “good life” for both ourselves and future generations. It has as its core pillars the environment, economy, and society, and acknowledges the interconnectedness of the environment and human well-being (e.g., the environment yields services for the economy, and addressing environmental challenges will depend on having stable livelihoods). Sustainability is multifaceted, affected by both global environmental drivers (e.g., climate change) as well as small-scale social issues (e.g., promoting the welfare of Biology students and staff). Diverse activities contribute to sustainability by working towards a better and more just world, such as recycling and re-using, choosing sustainable travel options, identifying employment opportunities, or increasing food availability and affordability on campus.
Initiatives established by the committee:
- McGill Biology Free Store: This initiative promotes the recycling of household items. Located in the Stewart Building N6/3, donations of items in a good state (clothing, kitchenware, small furniture, books, electronics, etc.) are collected. The door is left unlocked and items can be left there without the need to contact the committee. Items can be collected from the same room.
- Community coffee: This initiative promotes the social cohesion of our department by generating a meeting point where free coffee can be found. A large coffee pot is prepared every morning in the kitchen area of the 4th floor of Stewart West. The initiative is subsidized by the department and participating faculty, and prepared by members of participating groups.
McGill sustainability resources:
- McGill Sustainable Labs Guide
- McGill Sustainable Labs Certification
- International Freezer Challenge
- McGill Office of Sustainability
Committee members:
Abigail Gerhold
Jake Harvey
Rodrigo Reyes Lamothe (Chair)
Shaun Turney
Steph Weber
Comments and suggestions: Please contact us at biogreen.biology [at] mcgill.ca