Students for Sustainability
Environmental sustainability has become a top priority for Canadians and polls reveal that Canadians have high expectations for government action. As with the peace and civil rights movements, students have played a critical role in the environmental movement for decades. Through organisations such as the Canadian Federation of Students and the Sierra Youth Coalition, students are mobilising across Canada to put pressure on politicians to take action on climate change and other environmental issues.
In fall 2008, the Canadian Federation of Students, in partnership with the Sierra Youth Coalition, launched the "Students for Sustainability" campaign. The campaign aims to highlight the actions students are taking in support of the environment, encourage students to get involved with sustainability initiatives on campus, as well as pressuring governments to take concrete action against climate change.
Members of the Canadian Federation of Students have long prioritised environmental and social sustainability as an issue of importance for the organisation. Student unions from across the country have come together to develop progressive policies and practices within the organisation to ensure that all of our materials and operations are as sustainable as possible.
In its first year, the joint CFS campaign with the Sierra Youth Coalition and the Polaris Institute for bottled water free campuses secured promises to phase out bottled water sales at four campuses. Since that victory, at least five more Ontario campuses have made this commitment.