News Archives: GPRC Among Canadian Colleges Committed to Sustainability
Thursday, July 8th, 2010
Grande Prairie Regional College (GPRC) has signed a “Pan-Canadian Protocol for Sustainability” together with other post-secondary institutions across the country in a formal acknowledgement of its commitment to a sustainable future. Don Gnatiuk, President and CEO of GPRC, has long held that it is the responsibility of the College to demonstrate leadership in environmental, economic and social sustainability, and is an enthusiastic signatory to this agreement, which is an initiative of the Association of Canadian Community Colleges (ACCC). “At GPRC we have been working steadily toward the goals stated by this document,” Gnatiuk says. “The many steps which we have been taking in operations and procedures are encouraged by this commitment, and the coming months will bring increasingly visible signs of our sustainability practices as we work toward our goal of being carbon-neutral by the year 2020.” There are numerous examples of changes taking place at GPRC, but one of the most exciting for Gnatiuk is the active Environment Committee, which is developing an environmental action plan and working toward large-scale changes building upon what has already been achieved. Energy for buildings, transport, consumption and waste management, procurement policies, and greening of the campus are among the action areas which have been identified, and significant changes are already imminent in many areas. The most important change, according to Kazem Mashkournia, chair of the GPRC environment committee, is people’s attitudes. “I believe that the education component of what we are doing is so important that we cannot make any progress without educating our colleagues and neighbours about the impact and importance of their actions.” Mashkournia says a first step is to ensure a high level of commitment to sustainability goals within the College. “There are those who still need to be convinced, and we are working to share information, knowledge, and tools for action as rapidly as possible.” “Educational institutions in our country should be leading the way,” says Gnatiuk, “and this ACCC pan-Canadian protocol is our first combined step toward taking up that challenge. Together we can have a very positive impact on the future of our community, our region, and our world. GPRC is proud to be a signatory to this agreement.”