Learning at the Living Campus
October 13th, 2021
Last Thursday, first-year Environmental Science students in Brian Mader's General Biology I class were given the task of comparing the biodiversity of bacteria on two different surfaces. Students decided to head to the rooftop to compare the potential bacteria found in our two rooftop ponds. They compared soil samples with others on campus as well as sampled the surface of leaves. Results will be analyzed in a few weeks.
This is an example of learning outside the classroom on our Living Campus. If you would like to share your own experiences or those of your students, please write to cparsons@dawsoncollege.qc.ca
Photo credit: Brian Mader (Coordinator, Environmental Science)聽
Please don’t feed Dawson’s wildlife
October 13th, 2021
During the tele-teaching and tele-working period, little human activity at the College meant wildlife reclaimed our landscape.
Foxes, groundhogs, raccoons and a host of birds have been visiting. Now that we have returned, it is great to see staff and students enjoying Nature. Several well-intentioned people, both staff and Dawson neighbours, have been asked to stop feeding the birds because of unintentional consequences we would like to share with you:
- Feeding bread, muffins or other baked goods fills birds鈥� stomachs, but has little nutritional value and can lead to health problems for the bird. Young birds especially are affected.
- Gulls and squirrels eat most foods given by humans and then boldly take food from people sitting at tables outside when they can鈥檛 find any elsewhere. Squirrels enter backpacks for food and gulls swoop down and take open food from the tables.
- Feeding animals diminishes their foraging skills and can lead to larger litters of babies
- Wild animals can lose their natural fear of humans and become a nuisance or dangerous to humans
- Rats and mice come to eat leftover food at night. We do not want to attract these animals to the landscape. The squirrel population on campus is also high and they do significant damage to the gardens and they even chew on rubber or plastic on cars in the parking areas! We do not want to attract more!
- Peanut shells that are left throughout the landscape are a serious hazard to the members of the Dawson Community who live with severe allergies and would like to benefit from our outdoor spaces.
- Feeding wild animals is illegal in Westmount and offenders can receive a first fine of $50 and subsequent fines of $100
September 29th, 2021
As the 21st century unfolds, Dawson students and teachers have a new opportunity to continue channelling their knowledge and abilities into positive action that counters the daunting environmental, economic and social challenges of today. Dawson has been addressing sustainability challenges for years, a fact foregrounded in the 2016-2021 Strategic Plan. Notably, we recognize the significant…
Repotting your plants and plant help
September 29th, 2021
The Sustainability Office has ordered a big delivery of four-by-five inch pots in a variety of colours so employees can repot the baby plants distributed by College managers in August as a welcome back gesture for all employees. It would be good to repot the plants so they have more space to grow. When the pots arrive, Sustainabili-team volunteers can repot your plant for you or show you how to do it yourself in the Sustainability Office in 4B.
Those of you who have plants that are struggling (brown leaves, etc), please don't throw them out before checking if our resident plant doctors can help revive them.
Contact sustainability@dawsoncollege.qc.ca for plant help or for repotting.
600 spring bulbs go home with employees
September 29th, 2021
About 1,200 spring bulbs were ordered by the Sustainability Office to boost everyone's mood by encouraging employees to dream about spring gardening. A rainbow of bulbs were offered for sale to employees on Sept. 20-21: hyacinths, daffodils (which the squirrels don't like) and tulips.
About half were sold at cost to employees and will be brightening up home gardens. The remaining bulbs will be planted on campus: some pink bulbs around Anastasia's tree in the Peace Garden, some in the island garden of the first parking lot and some in the garden of the 3C courtyard.
Sandra Gravel (Student Services), pictured, bought her bulbs from the student Sustainabili-team volunteers. Jennifer de Vera (Sustainability Office) recommends planting the bulbs over the next week before the ground gets too hard.
Fair Trade Handbook book launch is Oct. 1 at Dawson
September 29th, 2021
Framed within the common goal of advancing trade justice and South-North solidarity,聽The Fair Trade Handbook聽presents a broad interpretation of fair trade and a wide-ranging dialogue between different viewpoints.
North-South Studies in partnership with the Sustainability Office is hosting the book launch for The Fair Trade Handbook this Friday, Oct. 1 at 11:30 a.m. during the North-South Seminar in 5B.16.
For more about the book:
If you wish to attend, please email GFrias@dawsoncollege.qc.ca
Students discover Sustainable Happiness on Living Campus tour
September 15th, 2021
Students in Melanie Doyle's Peace and Sustainable Happiness Advanced Studies in Psychology class were the first people to take a Living Campus Tour with a Sustainable Happiness theme on Sept. 13.
Led by Jennifer De Vera of the Sustainability Office and Azra Khan of Human Resources, both trained Sustainable Happiness facilitators, the tour began at the vegetable garden near the Upper Atrium, known as the Theatre Garden. It was offered as part of Dawson's Peace Week 2021 Program.
The students were taken on an outdoor tour that included about 10 stops, including the Peace Garden, the White Pine tree and the rooftop gardens.
In this photo, students Cassandra (left) and Thitrinh participate in an activity on the steps just outside the Upper Atrium. Jennifer and Azra distributed colourful chalks and invited the students to write a few words that make them happy on the steps. At the end of the exercise, the steps were full of colourful happy words. Cassandra's and Thitrinh's words were: coffee, music, animals and family, books, painting.
Employees and students who would like a tour are invited to contact the Sustainability Office to register: 蝉耻蝉迟补颈苍补产颈濒颈迟测蔼诲补飞蝉辞苍肠辞濒濒别驳别.辩肠.肠补听
Thanks to the Monarch foster parents
September 15th, 2021
Message from Jennifer de Vera of the Sustainability Office:
I would like to send a THANK YOU to all the returning and new Monarch foster parents. We successfully tagged approximately 160 monarchs this season! The Sustainability Office will be checking the Monarchwatch.org site to see where and when they are spotted as they fly South on their migratory path to Mexico.
Many students, employees and faculty from all around Dawson participated. New and returning fosters came from HR, Registrar's, I.S.T., CLL, OAD, CRLT, Journeys, North/South, Biology. French and more! We are so happy to bring such joy during this time. As a close friend once told me, "We always say the Monarch project benefits the monarchs, but we often forget, it also benefits those who have raised them!" Well-Being for Al!
Until Monarch season 2022, my friends!
Photo: provided by first-time Monarch foster parent Dinah Palinkas, our Staff Health Nurse for COVID of Human Resources. She enjoyed the experience and met a very nice student who let her take this photo of the butterfly in his hands.聽
Spring bulbs on sale Sept. 20-21
September 15th, 2021
The Sustainability Office聽 has ordered about 1,500 tulip, daffodil and hyacinth bulbs to sell to the Dawson community to promote well-being for all. The bulbs will be available for sale at the Peace Garden on Monday, Sept. 20聽 and Tuesday, Sept. 21 from 12- 2 p.m.聽 They will cost $1 each.聽
After the sale, there will be a bulb planting event in the Peace Garden and the Dawson community is welcome to help. The bulb planting will be on Wednesday, Sept. 22 from 12-2 p.m..
Classes go gardening during Peace Week
September 15th, 2021
Many classes, including Anna-Liisa Aunio's Individual and Society class, participated in gardening activities this week as part of Peace Week 2021.
Anna-Liisa's students, mostly in the Child Studies Profile of the Social Science Program, were weeding and documenting insects. They found bees, honey bees, spiders and katydids in the Peace Garden.
"They had so much fun!" Anna-Liisa said. Gardening at Dawson is often a first-time experience for students.
Photo: Anna-Liisa Aunio
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Last Modified: October 13, 2021
