To mark Climate Action Week taking place this week and spearheaded by the British Columbia Library Association, here are some interesting things that are happening related to environmental sustainability and climate action both here at McGill and further afield:

• Do some reading! Various libraries have put together booklists on climate change including these resources:
  • The University of Toronto Scarborough Library has created a Climate Action Week Reading List with many book titles on climate change. The books in the “Fuelling Hope” section offer lots of good reading for getting inspired.
  • The University of British Columbia Library has created a variety of climate change booklists on different topics like climate-related books by BC authors, the history of climate science and action, books of hope from strong climate voices and many others.
  • The University of Waterloo Library has created a climate action booklist with subsections on topics such as sustainable development and innovations.
• Join a climate café to share your thoughts and current experiences related to the climate crisis. There are many such groups including this free one offered monthly by the US-based Resilient Activist organization.
• Learn more about climate change and the climate crisis by registering for the McGill Course: “ATOC 183: Climate and Climate Change” being offered this winter. Read all about the course in an interview dating from last year when the course first was offered.

Within the McGill Libraries, various units have been hard at work completing the university’s Sustainable Workplace Certification program. In fact, it’s one of the library system’s objectives to have all units certified at the bronze level or higher. Schulich Library is proud to have achieved bronze certification and is currently working toward silver. The new McGill Collections Centre opened in 2024 as a LEED gold certified facility and its staff have now earned platinum level in the university’s workplace certification program. You can learn more about the program and several other sustainability initiatives by checking out information from the McGill Office of Sustainability.

Happy Climate Action Week!