The following appeared in the Thursday, July 15, 2010 edition of Y-File:
The shared experiences of those working in education and climate change is the central theme of a one-day symposium taking place today at York University. Organized by the Faculty of Education, the Institute for Research & Innovation in Sustainability (IRIS) and the United Nations Educational, Scientific & Cultural Organization (UNESCO) Chair for Reorienting Teacher Education Towards Sustainability, the Leadership for Sustainable Communities Symposium will focus on learning, leadership and climate change.

Leading experts from Canada, the United States and the United Kingdom will gather at York’s Keele campus for the symposium. They will convey their experiences and expertise in the area of climate change with students enrolled in summer courses that address issues of sustainability. The focus of the symposium will be a shared dialogue to examine the intersections between education, leadership and climate change.

York Faculty of Education Professor Charles Hopkins (right) will open the conference.

Adapting Canadian Employment and Work to the Challenges of Climate Change
2010-2015

Funded by: Social Science and Humanities Research Council of Canada
Lead Investigator: Carla Lipsig-Mummé

Work in a Warming World (W3) is a CURA that addresses the challenge of climate change and response to climate change, for Canadian employment and work. Given the present and potential role of employment and work in the struggle to slow global warming, what changes can be undertaken in policy, training and work itself, so that the work world adapts effectively to Canada’s transition to a low-emission economy?

The purpose of this CURA is two-fold:

1. To better understand the present and potential role of employment and work organisation in Canada’s transition to a low-carbon economy

2. To develop and deploy practical strategies and tools for adapting employment and work to the warming world.

This is a new research area in Canada. Adapting work organisation and employment patterns can contribute powerfully to Canada’s efforts to slow global warming.

The following appeared in the Wednesday, March 31, 2010 edition of Y-File:

What should York do to reduce waste on campus? Lots of things, but students, staff and faculty surveyed last December say the University should focus on three diversion measures – placing more composters closer to dining areas, introducing electronic course kits and other paperless practices, and encouraging food vendors to use recyclable dishes and cutlery.

About 70 per cent of the 569 who completed the survey also admitted they are confused about what is recyclable at York.

“York does manage its own waste, so what is recyclable at York isn’t necessarily recyclable at home,” said Alexis Esseltine, the environmental studies graduate student who conducted the survey, at an Earth Hour Symposium at Keele campus last Wednesday.

Earth Hour at York U

Please join us as we celebrate Earth Hour 2010 at York U! IRIS and the Ecologically Conscious Organization (ECO) are launching the first annual Earth Hour Symposium on March 24th.

Event Schedule – March 24th

305 York Lanes

519 York Research Tower (same as new Archives building)

Note – in order to be environmentally friendly, we ask that you bring your own travel mug and reusable containers.