USask students hack their way to a sustainable future for the City of Saskatoon
As a wrap-up to the fourth annual USask EcoHack event, University of Saskatchewan (USask) students have completed their hackathon projects related to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11: Inclusive, Safe, Resilient, and Sustainable Cities, and the community of Saskatoon is invited to judge the shortlist of final presentations.
The City of Saskatoon partnered with USask on the event, providing the topic so that students could build on existing work in this area, which includes incorporating social, economic, and environmental outcomes in decision making; waste and greenhouse gas emission reduction efforts and water conservation; and longer-term community greenspace and transportation planning.
“Participation in EcoHack is one of the many ways the city and USask are partnering on sustainability, and we are excited to hear the fresh perspective, expertise, and innovative ideas driven through this immersive learning experience. This type of partnership is critical to advancing climate action and supporting Saskatoon to be a place that is inclusive, safe, resilient, healthy, and sustainable,” said Jeanna South, director of sustainability at the City of Saskatoon.
“EcoHack is an opportunity for our students to combine their passion for sustainability with creative problem solving,” said Dr. Nancy Turner, USask director of teaching and learning enhancement. “It’s fantastic to see them developing sustainability related skills and leading by example. They are an inspiration for others to make their own unique contributions to solving sustainability problems."
The shortlist of three projects out of seven, voted on by a panel of judges over the weekend, are open for voting by the public, from Monday, Nov. 15 to Friday, Nov. 19.
Access to the videos and voting survey can be found here: https://www.surveymonkey.ca/r/ecohack2021
The three videos for public voting are:
Celer- Food Waste Prevention: Celer is an app that directs users to grocery stores with discounted goods nearing the end of their shelf life. Its aim is to reduce the amount of unsold goods that have to be thrown out, while simultaneously making affordable food more accessible.
Construction Waste Diversion: A strategy to divert construction, renovation, and demolition waste by requiring a recycling plan as a requirement for a construction permit in the City of Saskatoon. This policy in combination with the introduction of a diversion deposit program, lays the foundation for an eventual ban on construction waste at landfills.
SaskGreen Hub: To enhance awareness and accessibility of programs that improve the safety and sustainability of housing for middle and low income households, SaskGreen Hub connects residents with available programs and resources. The Hub House is a demonstration site; a typical home transformed using programs available to Saskatoon residents, intended to demonstrate the value and impact of these programs.
The winning team will receive a $1,000 grand prize. Second and third place teams receive $500 each.