As a form of urban boosterism, cities will host large scale events in hopes of rebranding or garnering national or international attention. In an effort to rebrand and market itself as a ‘Winter City’, Prince George, BC, Canada hosted the 2015 Canada Winter Games. Even though urban boosterism has historically emphasized the economic impacts of hosting events, there is an increasing consideration of environmental impacts seen in reports from events like the Canada Games and the Olympics. This study assessed how efforts to employ sustainability through waste management were employed within the context of the limitations and challenges specific to Prince George. By conducting a waste audit, this study examined waste types and sources. In addition, participant observation and key interviews were used to provide context and reasoning for the results of the waste audit... .
Many institutions of higher education have come to recognize their unique role and responsibility in promoting an environmentally sustainable society. This recognition has led to countless institutional commitments to reduce the environmental impacts associated with campus operational, teaching and research activities. Solid waste is one of the more visible and tangible signs of consumption, thus offering a key starting point for launching a campus sustainability initiative. This study describes a campus waste characterization research project to identify opportunities for enhancing waste reduction, recycling and composting while improving the overall sustainability of a waste management program at a small, research intensive and geographically isolated university in western Canada. Components of this research study were a review of waste haulage records and university policies, a literature review and two waste audits. A waste characterization procedure was used to assess solid waste generation and composition across various campus locations during two 5-day periods over consecutive winter and fall semesters in 2008. The results provide insights and baseline data for targeting specific materials and locations that represent the greatest potential for waste minimization and diversion. This project report also provides recommendations for the university administration to enhance the efficiency and sustainability of campus waste management systems and for becoming a more sustainable educational institute. --P.ii.
