The AMS Sustainable Action Plan (ASAP) outlines how your student society will improve its sustainability going forward, based on the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
The ASAP is divided into six key categories: facilities operations, business operations, advocacy and leadership, student services, campus coordination and Indigenous coordination.
Besides outlining how the AMS will practice sustainability, it also states the AMS’s commitment to ethical and sustainable purchasing, including guidelines for licensees, contractors and employers.
Facilities operations
The facilities operations category of the ASAP is designed to address how the AMS operates the Nest and highlights its plans when it comes to developing projects and partnerships to create more innovative sustainable infrastructure and reduce its reliance on the UBC district energy grid.
Key aspects of the plan include reducing energy and water usage; reducing overall waste generation; reducing waste stream contamination; increasing access to sustainable sources of water; and increasing use of energy from renewable sources.
Business operations
The ASAP says the AMS has a commitment to investing and developing zero waste programs. Through the ASAP, the AMS plans on developing plant-based menus and promoting OceanWise food products, while reducing the availability of single-use items and increasing the availability of reusable foodware options. The AMS also wants to transition to local suppliers or suppliers whose collection and transportation methods have a “limited impact on the environment.”
The AMS also trains team members in proper waste sorting procedures, according to the ASAP.
Student services
The AMS plans to advocate for more affordable on-campus student housing and investing in food insecurity-related programs at UBC by using the AMS Housing Service to help students find affordable housing and ensuring that AMS Student Services can support students going through financial hardships, according to the ASAP.
The plan also states the AMS should increase its funding and support for student mental health programs. The ASAP uses a peer-support model to advance student mental health and wellbeing. It also mentions improving existing wellbeing services related to equity and inclusion, women empowerment, healthy masculinity, sexuality, substance use and student safety.
The ASAP calls for ensuring the continued operation of the AMS Sexual Assault Support Centre.
Advocacy and leadership
ASAP advocacy and leadership-related goals include creating more accessible physical activity programming and advocating for more accessible and sustainable transportation options at UBC and around Metro Vancouver.
Campus coordination
The ASAP mentions efforts to continue working on the Dashboard — a software tool used to display sustainability-related metrics at the Nest. The report also states the AMS should create more opportunities for students to provide feedback around sustainability.
The AMS wants to work toward increasing the number of applications received for the Sustainable Projects Fund and support both AMS and non-AMS student groups in sustainability efforts.
The document also says the AMS should continue its formal partnerships with UBC’s Social Ecological Economic Development Studies (SEEDS) and Sustainability Ambassadors programs. Further collaboration with the University Sustainability Initiative and UBC Campus and Community Planning was also encouraged.
The Indigenous coordination section of the ASAP was not included in the final report. The AMS stated that it would work with the AMS Indigenous Committee to create the Indigenous coordination section together to include at a later date.
Guidelines
The ASAP also mentioned working with UBC to create more programming centered on sustainability. The plan also emphasized working closely with student groups like the Student Environment Center and the Climate Hub.
The ASAPs next review will occur in 2023.
Unwreck the Beach is The Ubyssey’s sustainability column. Send pitches or topics you’d like covered to sustainability@ubyssey.ca.