SMU's Environmental Impact
Written by Alex Fisher
Thumbnail & Banner Photo by Alex Fisher
The climate crisis is one of, if not the most significant challenges facing our society today. The environmental changes that have already occurred due to climate change impact everyone on the planet, and as the global temperature continues to rise, these effects will only continue to worsen. Extreme weather and the loss of biodiversity are just two of the changes we’re already seeing as a result of the climate crisis. While it’s important to recognize and reduce your personal impact on the climate, there is a limit to how much you can do. Between 2016 and 2022, eighty percent of all global CO2 emissions could be traced back to a mere 57 companies. So, something you can do to help is choose to support companies and institutions that have committed themselves to making a positive impact on the climate. You might be wondering, then, what are the environmental impacts of an institution like Saint Mary’s University (SMU)?
SMU’s website describes sustainability as a priority for the university and states that “students, faculty and staff have committed to operating the campus in an environmentally responsible way.” In fact, SMU not only met its pledge to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by forty percent by 2025, but this goal was accomplished three years ahead of schedule, putting the university in a strong position to meet or potentially even exceed the current goal of a fifty-three percent reduction in emissions by 2030.
One of the avenues by which SMU has worked towards this goal is the recent addition of the solar panels mounted on the exterior of the Loyola Residence building. The completion of this project even netted the university a Clean50 award for being the tallest solar-integrated building in North America, an honour still held as of the writing of this article. The addition has already saved over two dozen tonnes of CO2 emissions, as described on the info wall across from the SMU Art Gallery, as seen in the photo below.
In addition to solar panels on Loyola, the recently completed Sobey Inspiration Hub received funding prior to its completion that was used to add an array of solar panels to the roof of the building (as seen in the banner photo at the top of this article). Similarly, the reconstruction of the McNally East building’s roof appears to be incorporating solar panels into the design. While unconfirmed, this information is based on a proposal that was published on January 9th, 2025, as well as the pallets of solar panels lying in the construction yard as of this article’s writing. These panels, both on the Sobey Hub and potentially on the new roof of McNally East, continue to reduce the overall carbon footprint of Saint Mary’s.
Photo by Alex Fisher
This is hardly all that SMU has done to promote environmental sustainability. Fairtrade Canada has granted SMU the designation of Fair Trade Campus. This means that if you’ve ever had a coffee or tea from the C-Store or the Sandwich Shack, you were contributing to sustainable and ethical farming practices.
The Atrium, every science student’s favourite hangout spot, was completed in 2010 and was designed from the ground up to be energy efficient. The building was certified as LEED Silver compliant in 2012, meaning that it meets certain targets for sustainable practices and reducing emissions. The famous green wall (as seen in this article’s second photo) and the experimental green roof, both defining characteristics of the Atrium, have helped the building achieve these levels of sustainability.
Photo by Alex Fisher
This is not to say that there are no ways for SMU to improve when it comes to sustainable practices. Notably, the Sobey School of Business appears to have taken a favourable stance with regards to Artificial Intelligence, or AI. The Atlantic Canada AI Summit in early May of 2025, as well as the recent opening of the AI Playground in the Sobey Hub, both serve as evidence for this stance. SMU’s somewhat pro-AI stance is held in spite of the fact that numerous studies have found that, so far, AI has had an overwhelmingly negative impact on carbon emissions, water usage, and other facets of the environment. If you’d like to read more about the relationship between AI and the environment, be sure to read the Journal article The Environmental Cost of Artificial Intelligence.
While SMU has done well for the environment in many respects, and falls short in others, there are always ways that students can help the university improve its environmental initiatives. One graduate student at SMU has been conducting research that showed promising results in using new technologies to make mining more eco-friendly and sustainable, while a handful of undergraduate students have assisted with research surrounding an invasive worm species in New Brunswick. The SMU Gardening Society, founded in 2024, promotes sustainable living through the use of a small community garden located near the Oaks. The SMU Environmental Society is open to any students interested in the environment and sustainability, and you can find their Instagram page here if you’d like to get involved. Finally, the Wicked Problems Lab provides an avenue for SMU students to start their own projects designed to help solve societal challenges, such as the development of seaweed-based bioplastics and working towards making the food available on campus more accessible and inclusive.
If you’re interested in a career centred around the environment or sustainability, or if you’re interested in learning more about these topics, SMU has a number of programs across all three core faculties that might interest you. Whether you’re an Arts, Science, or Business student, you can do a major, minor, or even an honours in most of these programs, including a Bachelor of Arts degree in Global Development Studies, a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science, or a Bachelor of Commerce certificate in Sustainability Business. Even if you’re not interested in following these topics for a career or if you don’t have the time for a minor, taking courses in these programs as electives is an effective way of building up your own knowledge, allowing you to help tackle the climate crisis.
If sustainability and the environment interest you, be sure to read our articles How to Recycle Your Old Electronics and Eco-Friendly Alternatives To Your Most Used Apps, and to follow our Science and Technology column for future pieces about sustainability and the environment.
Do you have any experience with sustainable living practices, or is there more that you would like to learn? Let us know in the comments on our social media pages!