Building a sustainable campus on exchange at McMaster University

Amber van Druten, a student at the University of Amsterdam in the Netherlands, crossed the Atlantic and went on a semester exchange to McMaster University in Canada. Read below about how Amber made the most of her experience and contributed to some fantastic sustainable changes on campus:

Amber and Alicia next to their waste bin design

"During my exchange semester at McMaster University I completed the course “implementing sustainability”. As part of this course, Alicia Giannetti and I completed a pilot study where we investigated the influence of education on sorting waste and promoted composting at McMaster University. We did this by supervising the bins and start a conversation about composting with fellow students. We collaborated with staff members across campus and ultimately succeeded in getting a permanent, public-facing compost bin set up on campus. We applied for the Climate Change & Health - Innovation Award and won the award because of our impact at McMaster. The bins are currently still on campus and since then other student groups have been working on expanding composting over campus and improving the education on composting. I am thankful for meeting lots of nice people, getting involved in the Canadian culture, and the things I learned during my exchange abroad, both personally and intellectually!"

Amber van Druten, University of Amsterdam student

Member institutions
  • University of Amsterdam
  • McMaster University