Groups
Campus groups and initiatives related to sustainability:
Sustainable SFU
Sustainable SFU 
is a student, staff and alumni run organization although it is open to anyone in the SFU community who would be interested in helping make SFU a more sustainable university.
Our mandate is to facilitate SFU's transition into a model sustainable institution. We conduct research, provide education and awareness resources and collaborate with SFU community members on sustainability related projects.
Opportunities:
- Sustainable SFU is currently recruiting for board members. Contact them at info@sustainablesfu.org for more information
- Are you looking for a meaningful way to get involved and take on a leadership role within SFU? Do you want to be a part of a cultural shift toward sustainability at your university?
Join the planning committee for the SFU Student Sustainability Ambassador Program. The committee will meet every two weeks throughout November - late January. You can be a part of the design, marketing or implementation of this innovative and exciting program. The Sustainability Ambassador program will give students from across campus support resources and training to become influential sustainability educators and advocates in their various faculties, clubs, and organizations.
We are looking for a few students to join our planning committee as soon as possible. If you are interested in getting started now, or would like to become a student sustainability ambassador, please contact us at info@sustainablesfu.org.
Benefits of becoming apart of the planning committee include:
- Creating meaningful changes for other fellow students at SFU
- Sharing ideas and skills with a diverse group of peers
- Sharpening your planning skills for workshops, events and promotional materials
- Taking an inside look at how cultural and behavioral shifts can happen within institutions
- Gaining a valuable piece of experience that any future employer will appreciate
SFU Local Food Project
The SFU Local Food Project is dedicated to bringing fresh local food to campus, raising awareness of the benefits of local food, and encouraging and supporting local food production and distribution on campus.
Programs include:
- The Harvest Box – fresh local produce to you!
- The Pocket Market – a farmers market on campus.
- Urban Agricultural Skills Training Program – sharing the skills you need to grow your own.
- Growing on Campus – interested in community gardens and market gardens on campus? Join the conversation, email info@sfulocalfood.ca
SFPIRG
Pronounced 'ess-eff-perg', the Simon Fraser Public Interest Research Group (SFPIRG) is a student funded and directed centre dedicated to environmental and social change. We are a dynamic organization of students and community activists, researchers and educators working together from diverse progressive political perspectives. We use consensus decision making as the basis of our work towards a just and sustainable world. SFPIRG has its own constitution and bylaws and is a registered non-profit organization.
Action Groups:
The Dzaleka Project
The Dzaleka Project is working to raise awareness about the situation of refugees imprisoned in the Dzaleka refugee camp in Malawi. They organized a Refugee Awareness Day and are looking for passionate and committed invididual to get involved!
Interested? Email dzalekaproject@sfpirg.ca
Be in My Shoes
A student initiative that aims to raise the awareness of social issues such as child labour, gender inequality, and poor access to basic education and welfare, in undeveloped countries like Nepal.
Ancient Forests Committee
Engages in public outreach in order to promote the importance be BC's old-growth forests. Specifically, we aim to end the logging of ancient forests both on Vancouver Island and in Southern BC, where this can be done without compromising jobs. By raising public awareness as well as going out to see the forests themselves, we hope to foster an appreciation for this unique ecosystem.
Engineers Without Borders
Poverty is not about weakness. For the 800 million people who go hungry each day and the one billion who lack access to clean water, poverty is an absence of opportunity.
Engineers Without Borders is responding to this urgent need, helping people in developing communities gain access to technologies that will improve their lives. We believe that technology, when appropriately incorporated into each community's social, cultural, economic and political context, can drive extraordinary change.
The SFU Chapter is really excited about the direction that this incredible Canadian organization is going, and how our chapter can play a role in its development. Even if you're new to EWB or international development, your perspective and hard work is essential to the success of our programs in Canada and overseas. Diversity in our group is important too, so don't feel like you have to be an engineer to get involved. We feel that Engineers without Borders identifies a niche in international development that has been previously untouched, and they're doing it with great success. I hope that we can show you just how great Engineers Without Borders is, and help you a make real difference in the world.
For upcoming events and volunteer opportunities please visit http://sfu.ewb.ca/get-involved or contact sfu@ewb.ca
Fair Trade Vancouver
To promote fair trade on campus and within the community.
Free the Children
To educate and empower the community on issues of child poverty, as well as to fundraise for the Free the Children campaigns with other members of the community and spark a passion for global change.
Global Agents
Finding sustainable ways to battle global poverty.
Global Hope Network International
To create awareness and discussion concerning international development, poverty and humanitarian aid; to offer training in ID & disaster response as well as mobilize students for local compassion work and community development work in underdeveloped countries.
Schools Building Schools
Provide university students the opportunity to gain development related, employable skills while raising money to curb proverty through education.
Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)
Students In Free Enterprise (SIFE) is a global student organization that encourages students to develop social entrepreneurial projects and gain entrepreneurial skills. SIFE Simon Fraser is open to students at SFU in all faculties and all 3 campuses.
SIFE acknowledges that there are no boundaries for students who want to be more entrepreneurial, want to meet people, and to share their passions while making a difference in the community!
UNICEF
To create a social network of students who are dedicated to ensuring the children of today become the leaders of tomorrow.
Koga International Development Association
"Koga International is a Canadian registered Society whose mandate is to improve quality of life, relieve poverty, advance education and promote health in Canada and around the world, while maintaining a strong commitment to ecology and environmental sustainability" (Koga International Association, 2011)
Koga's SFU Club governs the local division and meets once a month socially for drinks, snacks and discussions about development: discussing fun facts, new approaches, concerns and achievements around the world. These meetings are open to everyone and if you are interested in joining, please email Brittney at kogainternational@gmail.com.
Oxfam SFU
Through advocacy, awareness, and action, Oxfam SFU is committed to pursuing a more equitable distribution of wealth and power. As a team of concerned students, we work by consensus to empower all of our members, and work in relationships of solidarity and partnership to change the policies and practices that perpetuate human suffering.
Oxfam SFU recognizes the imperatives of social justice, sustainability, and the increased equality of all people. Our campagins include Fair Trade, Food Security, Make Poverty History, and Womens' Rights among others, and we are always open to supporting new campagin ideas and initiatives. We hold fun and informative events and workshops, fundraise, petition, and do many other things to support our campaigns.
For more information on projects and initiatives, please visit Oxfam Canada or find Oxfam SFU on Facebook
Banner Bags
Banner Bags has a simple mission of educating high school students on how they can be more environmentally friendly. The program takes used banners from different companies and cities that would otherwise go into a landfill and brings them to high school sewing classes to be made into bags.
There is also a short seminar that is delivered before the bags are made to teach the students about environmental sustainability and about the difference each bag is making. The students can then choose to keep the bags or fundraise to make money to donate to a charity of their choice.
The program is a project of Students in Free Enterprise (SIFE)
If you would like your organization or group to be listed here, please send us an e-mail at sustainability@sfu.ca
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