From October 7 – 11, BCIT will welcome the world to the Ecocity World Summit 2019 at the Vancouver Convention Centre. For those unable to attend the Summit in person, don’t feel left out! There are many ways to lean in and participate around the topics of sustainability, without leaving the comfort of your campus.
1. Campus Series Events
Whether you’re at the BCIT Burnaby campus or one of our satellite campuses, there is a way for everyone to join the discussion and excitement of Ecocity World Summit 2019. There will be Lunch and Learns throughout the week in Burnaby, but also all of the keynotes will be broadcast via livestream at the following locations:
So grab a friend over lunch and tune into all of the exciting topics being discussed around the theme “can cities be both ecologically healthy and socially just“.
2. Join Ecocity and BCIT on social media
Talk about a sustainable way to engage! You don’t have to leave the comfort of your home, classroom, or workspace to participate online. With a few simple account ‘follows’, you’ll be able to see inside the exhibit, hear directly from presenters, and participate in great discussions. Here are the top accounts and hashtags to follow during the summit:
- Ecocity World Summit 2019: @ecocity2019 (Twitter and Instagram)
- British Columbia Institute of Technology: @lifeatbcit (Instagram) and @bcit (Twitter)
- City of Vancouver: @CityofVancouver (Twitter and Instagram)
- Conference hashtags: #Ecocity2019, #sustainability, #climateaction, and #greencities
3. See (in-person) the ways BCIT is creating a sustainable campus
At BCIT, sustainability means innovation to support the social and economic prosperity of the Province without harming our natural environment. Powerful, right? Our commitment to sustainability encompasses everything from advancing the state of practice through education and research, to improving the efficiency of campus operations, to engaging the community across the Institute.
Dr. Jennie Moore, BCIT Director, Institute Sustainability, and her Office of Institute Sustainability team are working hard on everything from Food Services to Waste Management; from Financial Services to IT Services and everything in between to identify areas of opportunity when it comes to green initiatives.
Here are some highlighted initiatives occurring throughout BCIT directly related to sustainability on campus. From our 20-foot-high living wall between NE2 and NE4, our Microgrid at parking lot 7 to our newly opened North Campus Infrastructure Project (which earned Envision Gold for sustainable infrastructure) – there are many ways for you to see in person the ways BCIT is creating a green campus.
Last but not least, the best way to engage with Ecocity World Summit is to continue to educate yourself on the best ways to be sustainable at work, at home, or out in the community. Bring a travel mug, reduce your consumption of one-time-use plastics, and think about how you commute each day. It’s the small things that will add up over time, and there is no time like the present.
About Ecocity World Summit:
Ecocity World Summit (Ecocity) is the longest-standing international conference focused on building cities in balance with nature. It is a biennial event with thousands of delegates from around the world.
The 2019 Ecocity is hosted by the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) in collaboration with the City of Vancouver and Tourism Vancouver at the Vancouver Convention Centre West from October 7-11. The conference will consist of keynote and guest speakers, presentations, and local field trips that surround this year’s conference theme of Socially Just and Ecologically Sustainable Cities.