Sustainability

Pillars of Sustainability

Economic

Through the prudent use of all resources, Olds College is optimizing our capacity to achieve our vision without compromising the potential for continued benefits. We are doing this by creating long term benefits through securing diversified revenue streams and allocating resources based on our current organizational needs and anticipated future events, while considering our financial position and operational risks.

Educational

Our commitment to educational sustainability includes planning, preparing and delivering programs and education in ways that exceed learner goals. It requires attracting and retaining skilled and knowledgeable staff committed to personal and learner development, innovative curriculum design, access to technology and tools and excellence in teaching and learning strategies.

Staff, regardless of their role, create an environment that inspires and enables individuals to develop their capabilities to the highest potential. Our commitment to research and teaching sustainability improves learning outcomes and student experiences and prepares students to be better citizens and leaders.

Environmental

Olds College has a special connection to the world we live in. With academic programs dedicated to land and water stewardship and research dedicated to discovering ways to mitigate environmental impact, we take our responsibility for environmental sustainability seriously. Sustainable practices include pollution prevention, recovery practices, choosing lean technologies, recycling processes, and utilizing clean and renewable energy sources, and environmentally responsible products. Olds College’s programs, facilities and grounds are planned, constructed and operated in a manner that reduces our environmental footprint and protects ecological systems.

Governance

Olds College’s collaborative approach to sustainability in governance is founded on the principles of stewardship and moral leadership to achieve long term growth and the development of the College. Through shared leadership practices, governance sustainability builds capacity by creating, sustaining and fulfilling the values, vision, mission and outcomes of the College.

Social

Olds College is committed to building upon the basic needs of health, security and justice to enhance individual and community quality of life. This is supported through learning and personal growth and creates social inclusion, building a trusting and compassionate community.

Taking Initiative

Waste Diversion Funding
Olds College has been successful in receiving the Community Champions Program grant for two consecutive years. This grant is awarded by the Alberta Beverage Container Recycling Corporation and is designed to encourage participation in beverage container recycling. With the use of this funding Olds College has purchased five, four stream waste stations in 2016 and eight, two stream waste stations in 2017. These bins have been placed throughout the College's campus to make waste diversion a more convenient process for students, staff and guests.

Bin Buddies
We have removed all regular garbage bins in offices/at work stations and replacing them with Bin Buddies. A bin buddy is a small, mobile black garbage container for landfill waste that hangs on the side of a recycling bin. This switch will facilitate recycling and prevent the automatic “put it in the garbage” mentality. We will be responsible for dumping our own bin buddy in any large, centralized bin in common areas.

Integration Of Organics Into Waste Stream
The Composting Technology Centre at Olds College is a full scale Class 1 composting facility. Organic residues are composted using a windrow system. As part of our "Zero-Waste Campus Initiative" our next step was finding a solution to gathering organics from campus buildings to be sent to our composting centre.

Single-Stream Recycling
Olds College Recycling is now single-streamed! All recyclable items can be placed in any blue bin across campus.

Electronics Recycling
On November 12, 2015 Olds College arranged their first bin loading event for electronics. Hundreds of old electronics including laptops, keyboards, printers, TVs, monitors, PC's and more were moved out of work spaces to be recycled.