Whether you’re making up a couple of credits towards your degree program or completing an internship, Montreal is
the place to be this summer. With dozens of festivals and amble opportunities to enjoy the outdoors, Montreal offers something for everyone. Campus may be fairly quiet during the summer, but there are still a number of ways to stay involved in social, economic and environmental sustainability efforts during the summer months both on campus and in the community. Here, we share some of the ways you can stay involved this summer.
1. Get Your Hands Dirty: Whether you are curious to learn basic gardening techniques or are already an avid gardener, there are lots of ways to get your hands dirty gardening at McGill. Campus Crops has maintained an organic vegetable garden behind the McGill School of Environment for more than a decade and welcomes gardeners of any skill level to help care weed, irrigate, and harvest. This spring, the Students Society of McGill University (SSMU) created its own garden in the courtyard behind the University Centre and Brown Building and is looking for volunteers to maintain it throughout the summer. If you feel like spending the day at Macdonald Campus, the Macdonald Student-Run Ecological Gardens and the McGill Permaculture Showcase Garden also welcome helping hands.
2. Cook for Your Community: What better way to connect with your community than by cooking healthy, delicious meals? During the summer, Midnight Kitchen depends on volunteers to help with regularly scheduled solidarity servings and a student food bank. There are also a number of community food centres across the Island of Montreal that depend on volunteers to cook, serve, or deliver meals. Check out Santropol Roulant, NDG Food Depot, or the Mile End Community Mission.
3. Develop a Community Engagement Day Project: Community Engagement Day is an annual project that aims to recognize and celebrate existing relations, as well as be a spark for new efforts connecting McGill to Montreal neighbourhoods, groups and social purpose organizations. As a project developer, you will play an important role in creating an eye-opening, educational and fun experience for Community Engagement Day participants in September. If you are a student, staff or faculty member interested in developing or facilitating a project this summer, contact the CED Program Coordinator.
4. Reduce Your Carbon Footprint: Summer is a great time to implement sustainability practices in your own life. If you have been meaning to improve your carbon footprint by tuning up an old bicycle, the Flat Bike Collective is available to help. The Flat is located in the basement of the University Centre and works to encourage cycling through the sharing of knowledge and tools. Drop by during the Flat’s summer hours on Monday, Tuesday, or Thursday 4PM to 6:30PM.
5. Get Involved in Campus Radio: Getting involved in campus radio is a great way to develop new skills, explore your interests, and meet like-minded people. CKUT is a non-profit, campus radio station that provides alternative music, news and spoken word programming to the city of Montreal and surrounding areas, 24 hours a day. CKUT volunteers program shows, announce, produce documentaries, conduct interviews, participate on committees, and more. For a taste of CKUT’s work, check out one of our favourite podcasts, Broad Science, “science with a side of social justice.”
6. Apply to the McGill Sustainability Projects Fund! Did you know that #McGillSPF applications for under $5,000 are accepted on a rolling basis? If you have a great idea for improving environmental, economic or social sustainability McGill University, apply this summer!
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