Seeing the big picture of sustainability

By Joel Finningley

After working with the newly established University of Calgary Office of Sustainability, Anna Nowaczyk, B’Comm’07, has become a bit of a torchbearer for sustainability stewardship.

“All you have to do is pick up a newspaper to see the complex challenges that today’s societies are faced with. It’s pretty scary stuff that can leave you feeling helpless,” she says.

When Nowaczyk graduated, she knew she wanted to learn more about the environmental, political and social issues shaking the global community. A job at the new U of C Office of Sustainability was too good to pass up.

As communications coordinator and administrative assistant, she has created print advertising, website content, and numerous presentations geared towards a whole array of stakeholders, both internal and external to the U of C. 

She has assisted with the development of a Campus Sustainability Assessment and Recommendations report, which was presented to the University of Calgary’s Board of Governors, and a four-year Business Plan in response to the board’s support.

Currently, she is updating the website she created last September to better reach out to the campus, local and global community by telling the U of C sustainability story and providing a forum for collaboration.

“I’m interested in the big picture and that’s what intrigued me about sustainability. It such a comprehensive way of looking at the world,” she says.

Nowaczyk credits the Haskayne School of Business for giving her that big picture view. “Haskayne emphasizes the importance of bringing in diverse perspectives and taking an interdisciplinary approach. But it is one thing to learn about it in a classroom and another to see it implemented.”

This collaborative approach is the hallmark of the Office of Sustainability, which oversees the Sustainability Stewardship Working Group (SSWG). The 13 portfolios of the SSWG are made up of faculty, staff and students representing a cross-section of faculties and departments. This structure allows for cross-fertilization of ideas and information, which leads to innovative solutions.

As for the future, Nowaczyk has no doubt that she’ll continue to practice sustainability stewardship in her own life—she rides her bike to work every day—and encourages other faculty, staff and students to do the same.