UTM promotes environmental awareness with Sustainability Week 2026
The campus-wide series of events aimed to strengthen student engagement with sustainability initiatives beyond the classroom.
The University of Toronto Mississauga (UTM) recently hosted Sustainability Week 2026 from March 16 to 20, which featured a slate of events across campus designed to promote environmental awareness as it relates to sustainability and student engagement.
Organized by the UTM Sustainability Office in collaboration with the UTM Students’ Union (UTMSU) and the MScSM Sustainability Hub, the week-long programming spans a mix of academic, interactive, and outreach-focused events.
The week began on March 16 with introductory programming aimed at familiarizing students with sustainability initiatives at UTM. Across the following days, students had access to sustainability-focused workshops, speaker sessions, and networking opportunities connecting them with campus leaders and professionals in the field.
Midweek programming included guided campus tours highlighting UTM’s sustainability infrastructure and environmental initiatives, alongside interactive sessions encouraging students to explore practical applications of sustainable practices with professors.
Tabling events in high-traffic areas such as the Communication, Culture and Technology Building further extended outreach efforts, creating informal spaces for students to engage with sustainability organizations and learn about ways to get involved. Interactive events also included a tote bag painting workshop, where students designed reusable bags, and a mock United Nations Conference of the Parties climate simulation that allowed participants to negotiate real-world climate scenarios.
Midweek events on March 18 continued with a Fair Trade and Sustainability Market featuring vendors selling ethically-sourced products ranging from food and tea to clothing and candles. Additional programming included a healthcare sustainability panel and a sustainable sewing workshop where students created dog toys from old clothing.
On March 19, the focus shifted toward academic and professional engagement, with events such as a sustainability practicum showcase, a decarbonization and climate panel, and an information session about ECO Canada accreditation in UTM’s Programs in Environment. Hands-on activities continued with crocheting workshops, teaching students to create reusable mesh bags.
On-campus groups say Sustainability Week also plays a key role in increasing student engagement with environmental initiatives.
Saphia Fakih, a fourth-year student and co-president of the Student Association for Geography and Environment, said the week provides a concentrated opportunity to promote sustainability-focused programming.
“It’s a great way to promote these types of events to students,” Fakih said in an interview with The Medium. “Throughout the year, people might not be actively looking for environmental events, but during Sustainability Week, they know to keep an eye out.”
Fakih said her involvement with sustainability initiatives began in her second year through the Sustainability Ambassadors program, where she attended an event focused on literature and sustainability.
“It was one of my first exposures to more interdisciplinary conversations about the environment,” she said. “It helped set me down the path of environmental and social justice.”
While Fakih said UTM is making efforts to promote sustainability, she noted that campus dynamics can limit outreach. “A lot of students are commuters, so they don’t spend as much time on campus,” she said. “Even though there are efforts to bring awareness, not everyone is reached.” Despite these challenges, Fakih described sustainability efforts at UTM as being rooted in collective participation.
“It’s a bunch of people coming together trying to make the university more sustainable,” Fakih shared. “Whether it’s tabling, creating initiatives, or volunteering.”
