Waste Reduction

Green Depot

The Green Depot offers an easy and accessible way for UNA and UBC Community members to responsibly dispose of a wide-variety of waste not accepted by residential waste recycling services.

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Clothing & Textiles

The Green Depot accepts all clean clothing and textiles, including rips and worn clothing and odd socks and shoes. Items are donated to Development Disabilities Association (DDA). DDA sells the items to Value Village and the funds are used towards their programs and services.

Community Yard Sale

Yard Sales encourages community members to reduce unnecessary production and waste, by reusing and extending the life of material goods. The Yard Sales are one way in which the UNA builds community and reduces environmental and economic waste. The more hands an item passes through, the more environmental and economic value it provides. Reusing items keeps materials out of the landfills and oceans, and decreases costs associated with purchasing and disposing of multiple, new items.

Transportation

Bike Share

A new bikeshare program launched in July 2019 at the university campus and neighbourhoods. The bikeshare company – HOPR – shares a parent company with Mobi by Shaw Go in the City of Vancouver.

The launch started with 100 bikes and will expand to 200 bikes in September 2019.

For more information, visit the HOPR website.

Download the App

Electric Vehicle Charging

Free charging is available to all Electric Vehicle (EV) users, through the UNA’s collaboration with BC Hydro’s Electric Vehicle Charging Initiative. By providing this service, the UNA is making it practical to own an EV or hybrid vehicle, significantly reducing the production of carbon emissions.

Learn more about EV Rebates

Car Share

The UNA has designated parking stalls for car-share vehicles throughout its neighbourhoods. This priority parking encourages community members to participate in car-share programs. This reduction in the number of vehicles on the road reduces the community’s emissions of greenhouse gases.

Learn More About Car Sharing

Walk n’ Roll

Every year, the UNA and UTown@UBC team up to bring Walk’n Roll School Celebration week. Community volunteers lead a ‘walking-school-bus’ and a ‘bike train’ from each of the UNA neighbourhoods to the local elementary schools. These events encourage biking and walking to school and provide kids and parents with the education and the confidence to do so.

Food Sustainability | Community Gardens

The UNA has four community gardens, providing families and community members with the opportunity to produce their own food (as local as it gets!). Our gardens follow organic practices, which reduces harmful effects on the surrounding environment.

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Mason Bee Project

Mason bee structures and nests have been installed at Rhodo Community Garden, Hawthorn Community Garden, as well as the Children’s Garden at Old Barn Community Centre. These nests were built by families who participated in the UNA’s Mason bee nest-building workshop, run by community members. With these nests, we are supporting the native pollinators and the local plant populations!

Collaboration with the UBC Seeds Lending Library

The Seeds Lending Library is a free resource that eliminates the need for gardeners to purchase new seeds. The Lending Library also provides opportunities to learn about gardening, seed saving, and agricultural research and teaching at UBC. The Lending Library has participated in UNA community events, offering its services and expertise to UNA gardeners.

Learn More

Collaboration

 

We are continuously working to advance our practices and services to reduce our environmental impact while increasing the economic and social wellness of our community members. We strive to make it easier and more accessible for community members to incorporate sustainable practices into their own lives.