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UTAM to reduce the carbon footprint of its long-term investments by at least 40 per cent by 2030
The University of Toronto Asset Management Corp. (UTAM), which manages over $10 billion in assets on behalf of the university, plans to reduce the carbon footprint of the endowment and pension investment portfolios by at least 40 per cent by 2030.
U of T’s arms-length investing body outlined the commitment in its 2019 Carbon Footprint Report, which analyzed the carbon footprint of public equity, private equity, private real estate and private infrastructure holdings within the university’s pension portfolio as of Sept. 30, 2018. The report uses the pension portfolio as a proxy for the endowment portfolio because the investments in each portfolio are substantially similar.
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‘Reverse fuel cell’ built by U of T researchers converts waste carbon into valuable products
Fuel cells turn chemicals into electricity. Now, a team from the University of Toronto’s Faculty of Applied Science & Engineering has adapted technology from fuel cells to do the reverse: harness electricity to make valuable chemicals from waste carbon dioxide.
The research was recently published in the journal Science.
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Microplastic pollution is everywhere, but scientists are still learning how it harms wildlife: U of T experts
Plastic pollution is a growing global concern. Large pieces of plastic have been found almost everywhere on Earth, from the most visited beaches to remote, uninhabited islands. Because wildlife are regularly exposed to plastic pollution, we often ask what effects plastics have on the animals.
Over time, macroplastics (plastic debris larger than five millimetres in size) break up into tiny particles called microplastics (smaller than five millimetres), which can persist in the environment for hundreds of years.
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‘Change agent’: U of T alumna helps companies, public sector plug into into energy efficiency
Kady Cowan clearly remembers the guilt she felt secretly stuffing granola bar wrappers in her pocket.
She was hiding them from the late Henry Kock, an avid eco-activist and naturalist who was best known for cultivating trees from seed in Canada. He lived a life practically free of waste and his home had no garbage cans – leading Cowan to become a trash smuggler.
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U of T’s Path to a Low-Carbon Future Begins Deep Below King’s College Circle
An energy-saving project to be constructed beneath front campus is one of dozens the university will undertake over the next decade to reduce its carbon footprint.
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U of T Mississauga recognized as Canadian leader for commitment to fair trade
The University of Toronto Mississauga has become the first campus in Canada to receive a silver designation from Fair Trade Canada.
The designation by the national non-profit organization helps cement U of T Missisauga’s reputation as a leader in sustainable and progressive food services. In 2016, U of T Mississauga also became the first campus in Canada to offer a gluten-free food station.
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