Camosun has two campuses and 38 buildings with 800,000 square feet of work/study space spread over 120 acres. We have 85,000 light bulbs, 2,400 rooms, 12,000 students, 1,000 staff and faculty, two child care centres, various Garry Oaks, Camas, countless deer and ducks. Camosun is like a small city, so the sustainability approach we take in all operations has a great reach. Wherever possible, we place students and their learning experience at the heart of our efforts.
What we're doing to support sustainability
Green maps
Looking for a place to recycle your soft plastics? Wondering where to charge your electric scooter? We've got a map for that! Use our Green Maps to find sustainability-related points of interest on both campuses.
Indigenous plant garden
The Indigenous Plant Garden is a living classroom that is used by a wide variety of departments to teach concepts from the chemistry of soils to the poetry of plants.
Food
Camosun aims to offer affordable and healthy food services options which evaluate and minimize their impact on the environment and the local community. On campus, students have a variety of food options, offered by our food services partner Aramark, the Professional Cook programs, and the student-run Farm Box program.
Waste and recycling
Did you know that composting in foodservice and preparations areas diverted 31,000 kg of waste from landfills in 2012/13? We are composting and recycling more than ever at Camosun, and we are looking to provide even greater options for our community.
Grounds
Camosun College campuses are located on the traditional territories of the Lkwungen and W̱SÁNEĆ peoples. We acknowledge their welcome and graciousness to the students who seek knowledge here. Camosun College is committed to upholding the natural beauty and robust ecosystems of both its grounds and the larger community.
Climate and energy
The Camosun Energy Project is about becoming more efficient in our energy practices and reducing energy consumption. It's about promoting a college-wide shift to a more sustainable behaviour amongst our students, staff and faculty and taking pride in being part of the larger movement to collectively curb climate change.
Water
Camosun is constantly exploring ways to minimize water use on campus and has achieved reductions in our building water use, outdoor water use and the amount of bottled water used on campus. Camosun is also helping to train future plumbers to conserve water and helping local businesses protect wetlands.
Transportation
Whether it's prime parking spots for carpoolers or providing resources and incentives for bike riding, transit infrastructure or teleconferencing, Camosun is committed to reducing emissions by cutting trips made to Camosun by car.