AC partners with World Wildlife Fund Canada on national campus sustainability program

Posted on Monday, September 10th, 2018

OTTAWA, Sept. 10, 2018 – Living Planet @ Campus, a national program from World Wildlife Fund Canada that was piloted at Algonquin College, is expanding to college and university campuses across the country.

This new program aims to enhance a culture of sustainability and promote the protection of nature by engaging post-secondary students in meaningful actions. Opportunities to personally lead change during their campus experience and to achieve Living Planet Leader certification will prepare the next wave of decision-makers and practitioners in their fields to contribute to a more sustainable Canada.

Developed in partnership with Algonquin College along with 11 other post-secondary institutions and championed by HP Canada, Living Planet @ Campus was created in collaboration with students as well as campus engagement and sustainability professionals.

The Algonquin community embraced the pilot project in 2018. Key initiatives included tree planting along the Tay River watershed in Perth – a habitat restoration project supported by a WWF’s Go Wild School Grant, and a team of students taking part in Designing Change for a Living Planet 2018, a multi-campus competition held at the WWF Office in Toronto.

Algonquin College will continue to work closely with WWF Canada to engage our students on sustainability and the protection of nature. Initiatives in 2018-19 will include other community projects focused on habit restoration, and additional Earth Hour and Sustainability Day activities and programming.

On Sept. 15, Algonquin College student volunteers will participate in a shoreline cleanup on Petrie Island – part of the Great Canadian Shoreline Cleanup, a conservation initiative by Ocean Wise and WWF-Canada.

About Living Planet @ Campus

  • Digital tools allow students – no matter their area of study – to register, track their impact and connect with peers.
  • How-to guides help students lead activities on their campuses, such as cleanups, awareness campaigns and habitat restoration.
  • Students can apply for funding to lead their own conservation projects and spread the knowledge gained to others.
  • Campus sustainability offices can work closely with WWF-Canada to further engage students on sustainability and the protection of nature.

About the LP@C Living Planet Leader certification

  • Students can earn Living Planet Leader certification to add to their resume and LinkedIn.
  • Living Planet Leader certification demonstrates to employers the recipient has the skills and experience to move the needle on sustainability.

Other founding partner schools include Fleming College, Wilfrid Laurier University, George Brown College and University of Waterloo.

Cheryl Jensen, President of Algonquin College:

“Through WWF’s Living Planet @ Campus program, our students are engaging in hands-on conservation efforts that will benefit wildlife on our campuses and in our communities. Algonquin College is committed to social responsibility, reducing our ecological footprint and making an environmental impact. Sustainability aligns with Algonquin’s values of caring, learning, integrity and respect.”

Sarah Winterton, Director of Nature-Connected Communities at WWF-Canada:

“Canada’s environmental footprint is among the biggest in the world, fuelling climate change and unprecedented wildlife loss. Imagine if we could harness the power of millions of post-secondary students in Canada to turn that around? Our Living Planet @ Campus program provides students with opportunities to take action on sustainability, be leaders for nature and earn certification to take into the professional world when they graduate.”

Frances Edmonds, Head of Sustainability at HP Canada:

“As Canada’s most sustainable technology company, we are committed to continuing to create positive, lasting change for the planet, its people and our communities across the country. We are proud to be championing The Living Planet @ Campus program which helps to deepen the commitment to conservation with the next generation of leaders. Students who join this program and receive the Living Planet Leader certification are the kind of employees that companies like ours seek.”

About World Wildlife Fund Canada

WWF-Canada creates solutions to the environmental challenges that matter most for Canadians. We work in places that are unique and ecologically important, so that nature, wildlife and people thrive together. Because we are all wildlife. campus.wwf.ca

About Living Planet @ Campus

Living Planet @ Campus, championed by HP Canada, is a national student engagement program that involves students, no matter their area of study, in meaningful environmental action and opportunities to personally lead change towards a more sustainable Canada. wwf.ca/atcampus

About Algonquin College:

The mission of Algonquin College of Applied Arts and Technology is to transform hopes and dreams into lifelong success. Algonquin College, an Ontario public sector community college, does this by offering hands-on, digitally connected, experiential learning in more than 185 programs. Based in the Ottawa Valley, Algonquin College is the largest polytechnic institute in Eastern Ontario. www.algonquincollege.com

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Media Contacts

Ruth Dunley
Communications Manager
Algonquin College
Office: 613-727-4723 ext. 6452
dunleyr@algonquincollege.com

Chris Lackner
Communications Officer
Algonquin College
Office: 613-727-4723 ext. 2091
lacknec@algonquincollege.com

Emily Vandermeer
Communications Specialist
World Wildlife Fund Canada
evandermeer@wwfcanada.org
Office: 416-489-4567 ext. 7298
Mobile: 519-616-1556


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