14 Initiatives That Make TRU a Leader in Sustainability

According to the global Sustainability Tracking, Assesment and Rating System, “TRU is currently the highest-rated university in the Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education.” (inside.tru.ca)

Do you wanna know the secret for this acknowledgment? keep reading and discover the 14 STEPS TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE LIFESTYLE!

Sip Smarter and Skip the Straw

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SIP Smarter and skip the straw! 😎 . TRU food services have now officially ditched the plastic straws and replaced them with compostable paper straws!

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Nov 21, 2018 at 7:55am PST

 

Go free biking

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Get outside in nature and enjoy the fresh air and snow!☀❄ . For your winter biking needs the Sustainability Office has bikes and fat bikes that you are able to borrow for FREE for up to 1 week.🚲 . Stop by the sustainability office or email Melina at [email protected] for more information.

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Jan 8, 2019 at 8:38am PST

Reusable Mugs/fill it forward!

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Did you know that you can get a FREE coffee by using your reusable mug? The TRU Food Services is happy to get on board with the Fill it Forward program. Use your Fill it Forward app to scan their cafés unique barcode. After 10 purchases, they will give you coffee for FREE! 🎉 Don’t forget to grab your sticker at water refill stations on campus. Dark blue stickers for hot beverages and teal stickers for water bottles. 😄

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Sep 27, 2018 at 10:32am PDT

Clothing Donations

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Do you have too many clothes in your closet? If you have clothing you no longer need there are a couple of ways you can pass it on. . . FIRST, see if a friend or family member may be interested in your clothing. If not, we have 2 Diabetes Canada clothing donation bins around campus to donate gently used and or new clothing.👕👖 . Please remember these bins are for CLOTHING only.😊

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Dec 6, 2018 at 8:45am PST

Idle-free Zones

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DRIVE IT DON'T IDLE IT 🚗 // Idling is extremely bad for your engine. When you idle, oil is stripped from engine components which may result in engine corrosion. The best way to warm your car is to drive it. Once your windows are clear, drive off gently.

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Dec 23, 2018 at 3:39pm PST

Organic Coffee Blend

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It’s cold outside, warm up and grab a cup of HOWL being served at The Workbench, Urban Market, Bean Me Up, The Deli, and The Upper Level Cafe – TRU’s very own fair trade and organic coffee blend ☕️ #trusustain #trusustainability #mytru #eatoncampus #trufoodservices

A post shared by TRU Food Services (@tru_foodservices) on Jan 21, 2019 at 1:16pm PST

State-of-the-art ventilation demand system

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We’re kicking off our 2nd annual sustainability week with our kitchen! We use a state-of-the-art ventilation demand system to reduce heated air that escapes through exhaust fans, equipment is unplugged when not in use, and our kitchen was upgraded with new energy efficient equipment🍴🌿 #mytru #eatoncampus #trufoodservices #trusustain #trusustainability

A post shared by TRU Food Services (@tru_foodservices) on Jan 21, 2019 at 10:50am PST

100% Recyclable or biodegradable To-Go packing

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Did you know our to-go packaging is either 100% recyclable or biodegradable? Make sure that you dispose of it properly in the Zero-Waste stations located around campus 🌎✅ #mytru #trusustain #eatoncampus #trusustainability #trufoodservices #salad #vegetarian #zerowaste #sustainability

A post shared by TRU Food Services (@tru_foodservices) on Jan 24, 2019 at 11:03am PST

Twisted Goat sustainable coffee

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Twisted goat is served at the International cafe. It is sustainably farmed and roasted here in Kamloops !😎 Support local and stop by to enjoy some of their delicious coffee or espresso. Don't forget to bring your own mug! ☕👍

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Jan 23, 2019 at 2:34pm PST

Recycle Batteries

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There are over 15 battery boxes on campus where you can recycle batteries? Find all the locations here: http://bit.ly/TRUBatteryBoxes Be sure to tape over the points on 9V batteries before putting them in the bins!

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on May 22, 2018 at 8:00am PDT

Solar Panels

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Did you know? . . . The solar panels on the Campus Activity Centre were the first on campus to generate electricity! 😮

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Jul 3, 2018 at 8:10am PDT

Zero- Waste stations

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Zero-Waste Trivia!! 😎 . . Which bin would you dispose of your gum in?

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Aug 17, 2018 at 4:24pm PDT

Turn off the lights initiative

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Saving energy is as easy as turning off the light off when you leave the room.💡

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Oct 4, 2018 at 3:45pm PDT

Zip Cars

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We currently have two Zipcars available on our campus. You can rent a vehicle by hours or days. The hourly rate is $10 and daily rate is $73. Gas and insurance are included. The membership annual fee for TRU students is $20 and $35 for TRU employees. Reservations are made online or by mobile app and can be done as little as one hour before pick up or months in advance. To sign up, you can go to https://www.zipcar.ca/universities/thompson-rivers-university.

A post shared by TRU Sustainability Office (@trusustain) on Oct 11, 2018 at 11:14am PDT

Each day we have the duty to take more and more care of our planet and be aware of the actions we can take in order to do this. If you have any questions about any of the initiatives don’t hesitate to visit TRU’s Sustainability Office web page.  And follow them on their Instagram, Facebook, and Twitter! Join TRU and the sustainability office in contributing to these amazing initiatives!

If you have more initiatives for sustainability you would like TRU to implement, don’t hesitate to comment below and also don’t forget to tell us which of the 14 initiatives is your favourite!