The University of Victoria Sustainability Project (UVSP) is a University of Victoria's Student Society Affiliated Group. We are comprised of students from a multitude of faculties across campus and do not tolerate judgement or any form of oppression.

Our Purpose
  • To build a more cohesive university community that works together to address issues of concern and importance regarding the sustainability of our institution and community.
  • To foster a campus and community that embodies state of the art sustainability initiatives.
  • To create a climate for innovative thinking around campus operations, functions and activities.
  • To promote planning and decision-making that fosters ethical and environmental responsibility and accountability.

What We Do
  • Host informational and engaging events on campus to promote sustainable practices.
  • Provide grants ​for campus projects for undergraduate and graduate students.
  • Provide connections with other sustainability groups and services on campus. 
  • Campaign for UVic and the UVSS to adopt sustainable practices.

Our History

1999: 
  • Two senior environmental studies students envision a student-run environmental organization whose focus is on sustainability initiatives that gives rise to the UVSP - UVic Sustainability Project.
  • UVSP conducts 13 sustainability audits on campus in areas such as environmental health, energy, water, curriculum, recycling and waste to make recommendations to the campus planning process.

2001: 
  • UVSP hosts special events such as Earth Fest and a speaker series.  Also assists students in developing projects.

2002: 
  • UVSP works on community mapping, research projects, and green city corridors.

2003: 
  • UVSP receives referendum funding from undergrads. Hosts an eco-footprint day and ethical consumption day.  UVSP contributes to the creation of the SPOKES bike bursary project is with the UVSS.  Work continues on the campus planning, consultation, and review processes.

​2015:
  • The UVSP hosts a farmers market to showcase sustainable merchants in the community.
  • UVSP focuses on the "Love My Mug" campaign to raise awareness and reduce the use of single use coffee cups on campus with the vision to completely eliminate the disposables by 2020.​

2019:
  • In partnership with other environmentally focused groups on campus, the UVSP co-hosts an environmental round table to discuss future initiatives on campus and to bring together the environmental community.
  • UVSP expands the "Love My Mug" campaign to the "Reduce Single Use" campaign with the goal of reducing single use take out containers on campus, expanding the focus from coffee cups to all take out disposable containers. 

2021:
  • We took our action online and created infographics for social media about current issues related to Sustainability including: intersectional environmentalism, Victoria's housing crisis, mental health and Covid-19, sustainable ways to get around Victoria, and actions lead by Indigenous youth.
  • We created a podcast available on Apple and Spotify called "Sustainibili-Tea-Time" we interviewed many different individuals around topics related to sustainability, from sustainable food, to sustainability in business, to federal environmental policy.  
  • UVSP hosted an online Earth Week Challenge that engaged the campus community in friendlily sustainability initiatives, and allowed people to get entered to win fun prizes. 
  • UVSP hosted an online wellness workshop to end the Earth Week Challenge and this difficult and unique semester, and to provide students with much needed rest we all need to  continue doing this work. 
  • Hosted an on campus film screening to welcome students back to campus!

2022:
  • UVSP hosted three more film screenings : Fairy Creek : Striking Balance, SPOIL : The Fight to Save the Great Bear Rainforest, Film in Flight : Hargila, and Voices of the Pacific Flyway.
  • Collaborated with the UVic birding club to host an Intro to Birding event, and a How to Use iNaturalist event  
  • Became a collaborator on Ripples zine, featuring youth art from the community.
We acknowledge with respect the Lekwungen peoples on whose homelands the University of Victoria Sustainability Project works on, and the Songhees, Esquimalt and WSÁNEĆ peoples whose historical relationships with the land continue to this day. ​