Sustainability Office
Your hub for sustainability on the St. George campus.
Sustainable courses
Sustainable courses program
The Sustainable Courses program recognizes those that take steps to encourage environmentally responsible course practices including reducing the use of paper and incorporating sustainability-related content in their course. The Sustainability Office along with Facilities and Services consulted with students, departments, faculty, and staff to create a comprehensive guide that provides faculty and TAs with checklists, best practices, and resources to encourage sustainable practices in the classroom and beyond.
The certification form is divided into two sections:
- Course Materials & Delivery
- Learning & Engagement
Ready to get certified?
Have you reviewed the steps above and are ready to get certified? Click the button below to start.
Get inspired from others!
Who can certify?
The certification is intended to be completed by U of T professors, lecturers, instructors and Teaching Assistants (with supervisor permission) on campus.
Certification
Must fulfill prerequisites and 60% of available points.
The Sustainability Office welcomes any comments or suggestions on program content.
Getting started
Before starting the certification form, consider the Program Highlights to view recommended actions.
Need more information on how to improve sustainability practices for your course? Check out the Resources page for information on best practices and tips.
The use of physical handouts (e.g. syllabus) is minimized and used only when necessary.
Students who take notes using a laptop or tablet are encouraged to set them to low-power mode.
Electronic version of the textbook is available.
Students are reminded to reduce personal waste (paper, disposable drinkware).
Lights are shut off at the end of the class.
Sustainable learning practices are encouraged.
Students are encouraged to use their knowledge of sustainability to educate others.
Students are encouraged to participate in sustainability initiatives and events on campus.
Course content, assignments, and/or projects are related to the UN SDGs.
The Sustainability Office welcomes any comments or suggestions on program content.
Sustainable living best practices
Download the Sustainable Courses Powerpoint presentation to deliver to students in class.
Course materials
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Unplug devices when not in use to reduce phantom power and decrease monitor brightness to reduce energy use.
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Require students to submit assignments electronically or request that short assignments are printed double-sided.
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Minimize the distribution of handouts. If necessary, print using recycled/sustainable certified paper.
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Lead by example by bringing reusable drinkware to class.
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Engage students by asking for feedback on how to make the course more sustainable.
Learning & engagement
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Encourage sustainable behaviours at home, such as reducing single-use plastics or using active transportation as much as possible.
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Encourage students to explore sustainability-related events and clubs on campus.
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Encourage students to use their knowledge in relation to sustainability to educate their peers and colleagues.
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Incorporate sustainability concepts and the SDGs into the course content and projects.
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Invite guest speakers to provide a lecture.
Labs
- There are numerous sustainable laboratory best practices in areas including energy, waste, chemical management, procurement, and water. See the Sustainable Labs program page for more information on Sustainable Labs Certification.
General resources
United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a collection of 17 global goals designed to be a “blueprint to achieve a better and more sustainable future for all”. The SDGs were set up in 2015 by the United Nations General Assembly and are intended to be achieved by the year 2030.
The Sustainability Office welcomes any comments or suggestions on program content.
Get certified!
Ready to get your course certified? Follow these easy steps!
- Be an instructor, TA, or course administrator (If you are a TA, be sure to receive permission from the course instructor or administrator before completing the certification form).
- Review the program overview, highlights and resources tabs
- Download the Sustainable Courses Powerpoint presentation and modify slides 7 and 8 to relate to your specific course. Deliver the presentation to students during class.
- Click the ‘Get Certified’ button below
- Sign in using your UTORid to launch certification form and follow the instructions
- Submit the form and await review and confirmation from the Sustainability Office
- Receive your certificate package (certificate, badge and quick resource guide)
Please complete the form in one session (form cannot be saved part-way). We recommend you use a laptop or desktop to complete the form.
Note: Certification is valid for one year, and the program will be updated/improved annually to ensure alignment with sustainability best practices.
The Sustainability Office welcomes any comments or suggestions on program content.
Our sustainability partners