Springfest 2024
2024 marks the second annual year of Springfest at Western! Springfest is a month-long series of events celebrating the Western Environment & Sustainability Network. The network includes nearly 30 different student-facing clubs and groups on campus. These groups have banded together, with support from Western Sustainability, to develop a network which meets regularly to build connections and collaborations amongst the groups, hold dialogue about Western's sustainability initiatives and student perspectives, and to raise awareness of student-facing sustainability opportunities.
Springfest will take place from March 1 - April 3, 2024. Scroll through the calendar below to learn more about the events happening!
Springfest 2024 Events
February 29 – March 8: SDG Week Canada
SDG Week Canada is a national collaboration from March 4 - 8, 2024 to increase awareness and engagement with the 17 UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) on university and college campuses. It is an annual collaborative initiative that invites all of Canada's universities and colleges to host events and programming on the SDGs. The overall organization of SDG Week Canada is brought to you by the Sustainability Hub at UBC, SDSN Canada hosted by the University of Waterloo, and Colleges and Institutes Canada.
Western's SDG Week includes a few events outside of the national week, and we are excited to invite all of campus community to participate in these events!
March 11-15: Enviro Week
Join EnviroUSC for EnviroWeek! See the week’s event below:
- March 11 (10am-3:30pm): Climate Countdown
- March 12 (4:30pm-6:40pm): De-Growth Discussion
- March 13 (10am-4pm): Art Build Workshop
- March 14 (6:30pm-9pm): Movie Screening – Wochiigii lo: End of the Peace
- March 15 (10am-3:30pm): Sustainability Fair
March 11-15: Friends of the Gardens (FOGs) Plant Sale
Pick up some new plants at the FOGs Plant Sale at the Taylor Library at the times below:
- March 11-13 and 15 (10am-2pm)
- March 14 (12pm-4pm)
View the list of plants for sale here
March 12 (5pm-7pm): FRESH Food Demonstration in Saugeen-Maitland Hall
Join FRESH for an overnight chia pudding food demonstration. FRESH is a comprehensive peer nutrition education program in partnership with Brescia's Food and Nutrition program and Western's Hospitality Services. FRESH aims to increase awareness, improve knowledge, build skills, and influence the campus food environment. Follow FRESH Instagram for more information.
March 19 (10am-4pm): ReconciliACTION
Co-hosted by Atlohsa Family Healing Services and the Office of Indigenous Initiatives. All are invited to join in learning about and strengthening our relationships to Land and Water. Register here
Event Programme:
- 10am – Opening
- 11am – Water Walk with WAHSayzee DELEARY
- 12pm – Lunch by Aksohts Tsi’tyutekhunyatha (bring your reusables)
- 1pm – Seed activities and songs with YEHAWI Ninham
- 2pm – CLIMATE CHANGE CAFE
- 3pm – Closing circle
- Throughout the day: Helping In the Gardens & Self-Guided scavenger hunt on the land.
March 21 (11am-12pm): Pollinator Practices Panel
Join us for a discussion on pollinator practices at Western. This event brings together a panel of campus community members who play important roles in overseeing campus landscape operations, coordinating garden volunteers, and engaging passionate students on pollinator initiatives. We'll also welcome back a Western alum who works with Bee City Canada and hear about his passion for pollinators! Register here
March 21 (5pm-7pm): FRESH Food Demonstration in Ontario Hall
Join FRESH for a french toast food demonstration. FRESH is a comprehensive peer nutrition education program in partnership with Brescia's Food and Nutrition program and Western's Hospitality Services. FRESH aims to increase awareness, improve knowledge, build skills, and influence the campus food environment. Follow FRESH Instagram for more information.
March 22 (9am-4pm): EnviroCon 2024
EnviroCon is an interdisciplinary conference organized every year by graduate students in the Collaborative Specialization in Environment and Sustainability at the Centre for Environment and Sustainability. EnviroCon 2024 has a special focus on SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities and SDG 13: Climate Action. The conference is FREE to attend and participate in. This event aims to bring together the knowledge and research of undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and community members involved in environment and sustainability. Learn more here.
March 23 (10am-2:30pm): WaterAid Sustainability Conference
A full day of interactive keynote speaker talks, discussion panels, and workshops related to sustainability! Free to attend and lunch will be provided. Follow WaterAid on Instagram for more information. Join WaterAid in the Weldon Library, Community Room!
March 25 (5pm-7pm): FRESH Food Demonstration in Medway-Sydenham Hall
Join FRESH for a quinoa bowl food demonstration. FRESH is a comprehensive peer nutrition education program in partnership with Brescia's Food and Nutrition program and Western's Hospitality Services. FRESH aims to increase awareness, improve knowledge, build skills, and influence the campus food environment. Follow FRESH Instagram for more information.
April 3 (2pm-3pm): Sustainability Impact Showcase
All are invited to join for an annual celebration of campus community members who are making a positive impact on sustainability at Western.
Each year up to three individuals or groups are recognized with a Western Green Award. Green Awards may recognize students, staff, and faculty who are making a positive impact on sustainability at Western.
Alongside hearing about the Green Award stories for this year, we will also showcase the remarkable campus community-led initiatives taking place at Western through the Campus as a Living Lab program as well as the new Western Sustainable Impact Fund.
Come and meet folks across campus who share similar goals in making Western a more sustainable place with refreshments from Great Hall Catering. Register here
Thank you to all groups in the network for your contributions to Springfest and sustainability initiatives throughout the year!
- BUGS
- Centre for Environment and Sustainability
- Climate Crisis Coalition
- Department of Earth Sciences
- Engineers Without Borders
- Environmental Science Association (ESA)
- EnviroSynBio
- EnviroUSC
- First Year Reps
- FRESH
- Huron Green Club
- Indigenous Students Association
- Ivey HBAA Sustainability Directors
- Ivey Social Impact Club
- Science Students Council (SSC) Environmental Committee
- Society of Biology Graduate Students
- SOGS Sustainability
- Student Energy
- Undergraduate Engineering Society (UES) Sustainability Committee
- USC Clubs Governance Board
- WaterAid Western
- Western Active Transportation Society (WATS)
- Western Community for Active Transportation (WerCAT)
- Western Environmental Business
- Western Sustainable Leaders Program (WSLP)
- Western University Vegan Society (WUVS)
- Western Wildlife Conservation Society (WWCS)
