In October 2024, the Sustainability Initiative Committee hosted a Mushroom Identification Workshop at Renfrew Ravine, the only natural park with a creek in Vancouver. As we learned how to identify fungi while walking through the ravine, we also reflected on how we can participate in a culture of sustainability given UBC’s commitments to food systems and sustainable commuting as a department and as individuals.
Later in March 2025, we hosted a basket weaving workshop that repurposed English Ivy—an invasive species—into functional household items. As we weaved, we started reflecting on the time and care it took to complete a single basket—over an hour and sore fingers. It prompts us to reconsider how recklessly we consume and discard products every day and the culture of convenience.
In the coming academic year, the committee will organize more events that foster community, mindfulness, and sustainability. Please support us by joining the activities or becoming a committee member. For more information, please visit: https://asia.ubc.ca/about/department-initiatives/sustainability-initiative-committee/
