Triple Bottom Line
Environmental Highlights
In 1997, UBC became Canada's first university to adopt a sustainable
development policy. It opened the Campus Sustainability Office in
1998, and has since made significant progress in reducing its environmental
impact. Last year UBC became Canada's first and only university
to receive Green Campus Recognition from the U.S.-based National
Wildlife Federation.
Reducing Resource Use
Despite a 19 per cent increase in student population since 1998,
UBC has reduced energy use in core and ancillary buildings by eight
percent, for a total savings of $5.4 million.
Water use in core and ancillary buildings has been reduced by 27
per cent since 1998, saving 1.4 billion litres or enough water to
supply 5,000 homes in one year.
UBC has reduced its consumption of paper by 15 per cent since 1998,
from 108.7 million sheets per year to 92.4 million sheets per year.
It has increased use of recycled paper by nine per cent to 20.2
million sheets per year.
Reducing Environmental Impact
UBC has reduced CO2 emissions from buildings and transportation
by seven per cent, or 9,000 tonnes, since 1998.
UBC Waste Management diverted 2,544 tonnes of material to recycling
or composting last year.
UBC’s popular U-Pass increased transit ridership by 53 per
cent to 45,300 riders per day in fall 2003. Single occupancy vehicle
trips dropped by seven per cent.
Improving Eco-Efficiency
Last year, 125 volunteer sustainability coordinators in units across
UBC undertook more than 60 sustainability initiatives, and saved
the university $75,000 in electricity.
In 2003-04, UBC's innovative Social, Ecological, Economic Development
Studies (SEEDS) program attracted 250 students, faculty and staff
to various research projects, saving $80,000 in consulting costs
on campus sustainability projects.
The print
version of the annual report was printed on recycled paper. Based on data supplied by
Metropolitan Fine Printers, this saved 26 trees, 2,331 pounds of
waste, 2,564 gallons of water, 3,345 kilowatt hours of electricity
and 4,237 pounds of greenhouse gases. |
