- Enter now
- Competition Info
- Projects
- 2023
- The Boat People Art Installation
- Downtown Eastside Art Engagement Project
- Ears That Listen, Hands That Help
- Food For Marginalized Youth
- GenConnect: Connecting Punjabi Seniors & Youth
- Inside Out
- Mitti Vancouver
- NaloxHome Community Panel: It Takes a Community: Exploring the Forces Behind BC’s Overdose Crisis
- One Tap Away: A chatbot to bridge the service gap in gender-based violence services
- Orange BC Run
- Read For Our Lives
- Rooted In
- Solastalgia Zine
- 2022
- Knowledge Translation Re-imagining: Healthcare in the DTES
- Memorializing the First Filipino in Canada: A documentary
- Mixed-Race Community Group: Exploring Self, Ancestries, and Lands
- Documenstory - Ashcroft Youth Media Club
- The Process of Political Activism
- Happy, Connected, Resilient Neighbours
- Crafting Circles
- Trans Connect-ing Youth in Sport
- Ocean Care through Data Embodying and Behaviour Changes
- Let’s Do Breakfast
- Empowering Muslim Youth
- Peer Connect: Accessibility Meet up/ Games Night
- The Reclamation of Women's Bundles
- 2021
- ACSSPA Sewing Mask Project
- Art for Comfort: Art for Connection
- BC Newcomer Camp
- Burnaby Mountain Festival
- Generation BXY
- Glow Within Foundation
- Haida Nerds
- Hastings Folk Garden Sound Map
- Indigenous Tutoring and Mentoring Program (ITMP)
- Math Walks
- NaloxHome SFU
- OMG I have ADHD
- OneTime
- Public Health Speaks
- ReRooting Relationships
- Singing Our Truths: Telling Our Stories
- Voices 4 Reconciliation
- Young Minds Exploring Science
- 2020
- 2019
- 2018
- 2017
- 2016
- 2015
- 2014
- 2023
- News & stories
- Downtown Eastside Art Engagement Project
- Thirteen student-led teams launch impactful community partnerships.
- Your personal connection is your greatest strength
- Making your project a passion
- Cooking up a breakfast program with love
- Fourteen student-led teams win funding to realize community impact!
- Leaders & Learners
- These 18 teams are springing into action with community
- Develop your capacity as a changemaker – and have fun!
- Embracing the complexity: pivoting as a practice.
- You know what’s not scary? $3,000 to fund your awesome project.
- SFU student creates youth-led overdose education and naloxone training during B.C.’s overdose crisis
- SFU student-community partnership creates local impact in Surrey
- SFU Students Exemplify the Spirit of Innovation and Community Engagement at the Annual President’s Gala
- Co-creation is difficult. And it's worth it.
- Hands-on for impact
- Congratulations to this year’s winners!
- On power and engagement – an interview with Aslam Bulbulia (excerpted)
- Herbert’s story: how one shopping cart made a difference.
- Don't wait for perfection – jump in
- Congratulations to our 2017-18 finalists and winners
- Discover what’s possible when university students and communities work together
- About
- Contact us
BYO
Team members: Priscilla Lam (SFU), Angelica Tso (UBC)
Every week, Vancouver throws out an average 2.6 million disposable cups. Emissions from landfills likewise account for 20% of Canada’s national methane emissions. On a macro level, we believe the disposable cup issue is a symptom of our throwaway culture that values personal convenience at the expense of negative socio-environmental externalities—caused by a fundamental disconnect between people and the natural ecosystem. One solution we believe is not being leveraged enough is encouraging consumers to bring their own cups when buying to-go drinks.
Our project — BYO — will be a mobile app-based program that motivates individuals to bring their own cup through a variety of mechanisms such as rewards and impact tracking. On top of incentivizing bring-your-own-cup behavior, a portion of the usual cup discount will be allocated towards a tree planting initiative. By incorporating tree planting, we seek to extend our impact beyond cup waste — encouraging customers and cafes alike to think bigger while sparking conversations around the larger collective role of consumer practices. The project is a unique combination of cup waste reduction, rewards, tree planting, and community building.
Community partners:
Local cafe community in the City of Vancouver
Project updates:
PRISCILLA LAM: We are so grateful for the support of SFU’s Office of Community Engagement. The funding was used to bring on a team of student developers and designers - all of whom have reported that it was a beneficial skill-development opportunity. The recognition from winning the 2021 SCEC also helped us and our cafe partners feel confident in the project. In addition to being proud of receiving the Office’s support and recognition, we’re also extremely proud of our impact. To date we’ve diverted 400+ single use cups and are committed to funding 80+ trees to be planted around the world. On top of that, we’ve inspired people across Metro Vancouver to take action on waste reduction.
In the coming weeks of August 2022, we will be working with our app team and community partners (cafes, reward partners, supporters) to wrap up the project.
In the news:
- Student-led BYO app promotes sustainability (SFU)
- Student-Led Byo App Promotes Sustainability (DRISHTI)
- Feeling guilty about all the plastic waste your takeout meals create? Try this (Canada's National Observer)
2020-21 Grand Prize Award winner
DO YOU HAVE AN IDEA FOR CHANGE?
Up to $30,000* is available to fund SFU students who want to work with community partners to drive meaningful, lasting impact.
Maybe you’re working on an existing idea for a class you’re taking, through a student club or another organization, or maybe you just have an amazing idea that keeps you up at night.... Whatever it is, we want to hear from you!
Start the process now by registering today and then submitting your idea before November 22 – all you need is your passion and an idea.
* Award amounts subject to change.