Steps to Sustainability

We believe in proactive action at the UVic Bookstore. Our mission aligns with institutional efforts to advance sustainable development goals (SDG) and ensure the continued promotion of environmental, social, and economic well-being.

To ensure that sustainability is embedded across the university through partnerships, operations, infrastructure, teaching, and learning, our holistic approach includes sourcing from local vendors and manufacturers to reduce our carbon footprint. Whether it is packages, pallets, or plastics, we make a concentrated effort to recycle wherever possible.

Our commitment to sustainability practices

• Actively seeking out Canadian-made or locally-made products to reduce our carbon footprint
• Highlighting sustainable merchandise choices in a featured category on our website
• Re-using vendor packaging for our course supply kits
• Offering re-usable or recyclable bags with purchase
• Promoting sustainable choices in-store for re-usable drinkware
• Highlighting products in store and online that are environmentally-friendly
• Recycling packaging, batteries, and more
• Composting and doing our very best in separating items that can be removed from ending up in landfill
• Supporting the university’s Sustainable Procurement Initiative - we are mindful when choosing to work with vendors. We will not purchase from a company who will not sign our trademark licensing agreement and confirm their organization will adhere to the UVic Suppliers Code of Conduct.

What we do

Apparel & Gifts

We choose vendors who make environmentally responsible clothing, like MV Sport and Hotline Apparel. These factories take steps to produce apparel with reduced waste, less chemicals & chemical treatments in place, and solar power alternatives for powering their factory. We choose the tees like the ‘Everest Sustainable Tee’ from MV Sport with 60% organic cotton & 40% recycled polyester jersey.

We choose local gifts to reduce the carbon footprint some of our products have on the environment. We carry local soaps and candles from Backwood Soaps and Jody’s Naturals. We carry local chocolates from Denman Island and custom logoed UVic chocolates from Charlies Chocolate Factory.

School Supplies

We have reduced or eliminated those supplies with vendors that make little effort to meet sustainable practices. We choose recycled products, reusable products, and products produced from renewable resources over traditional choices. Our uKagu notebook covers are made from recycled plastics and are 100% recyclable. We carry Eco Wheat “UVic” logoed pens vs traditional plastic barrel pens.