For the past six years, students in UNBC’s Carbon and Energy Management class gained practical experiences working with local businesses to help them reduce their emissions. Now, a paper co-authored by UNBC researchers about the impact of the course made the short list for an Association for the Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE) award.

The paper, Action learning partnerships: carbon, commerce and community co-learning at a Canadian university, discusses the innovative course delivered in collaboration with the Prince George Chamber of Commerce. The paper is a finalist for the 2021 AASHE Sustainability Award in the campus sustainability research category recognizing outstanding scholarship in higher education. The winner will be announced on Dec. 9

“This is a great example of collaborations between the university and the city as well as a great collaboration on producing an article on that partnership,” says UNBC Environmental and Sustainability Studies Professor Dr. Annie Booth, the paper’s lead author.

Booth and the co-authors examine how students in the class learn to bridge the gap from theory to practice as they work in “urban laboratories” in partnership with participating local small businesses. The result is mobilizing knowledge in two directions as students learn more about the business world. At the same time, participating businesses gain information about the actions they can take to reduce their carbon footprint.  

Environmental and Sustainability Studies Assistant Professor Dr. Sinead Early, Carbon Realities Consulting owner Kyle Aben, Prince George Chamber of Commerce Grants Administrator Barb Otter, Prince George Chamber of Commerce CEO Todd Corrigal and UNBC Senior Advisor Business Development Christie Ray all co-authored the paper, which was published in the International Journal of Sustainability in Higher Education in 2020.

The AASHE Sustainability Awards provide global recognition to the individuals and organizations leading the higher education sustainability movement. With the help of volunteer judges, this program raises the visibility of high-impact projects, pioneering research, and student leadership that helps to disseminate innovations and inspire continued progress toward environmental, social and economic health.

“The higher education sustainability community continues to show themselves as leaders in the global sustainability movement. This is never more evident than through the many entries received for the AASHE Sustainability Awards,” said AASHE Executive Director Meghan Fay Zahniser. “I am proud to recognize the innovation and leadership demonstrated by this year’s finalists.”