All students and faculty members, please include your faculty after your last name when signing.

Much of modern-day consumerism is associated with high levels of social and ecological degradation. From the unsafe working conditions of factory employees, to improper management of toxic waste, to the immense amount of ‘stuff’ thrown into landfills, unsustainable consumerism is highly detrimental. Sadly, it is also highly pervasive. One of the many challenges faced by consumers is the ability to source sustainable brands, merchandise, and stores. Thus, we believe that increasing consumer awareness around sustainable practices and improving market transparency are good first steps in combatting this problem. 
 
Here on the University of Waterloo campus, we hope to do just that. More specifically, we want to increase awareness and transparency regarding the W Store’s sustainable practices, mindsets, and goals. As it is a core procurement entity on campus, the W Store plays an important role in the university’s efforts in becoming more sustainable. Moreover, as the campus community is the customer base we believe there should be openness regarding the store’s existing sustainable efforts and future aspirations. 
 
We are proposing that a ‘Sustainability at the W Store’ tab be added to the W Store website. This tab would: 

• Share the W Store’s existing sustainable initiatives and efforts with the public, especially regarding their procurement methodology. 
• Share the current sustainability ratings and achievements of the W Store in relation to the university guidelines. ie: ‘Green Office’ participation 
• State the W Store’s core sustainability values. 
• State the future sustainability goals of the store. 

Not only would this raise consumer awareness and power, it would also encourage sustainable practices as a foundational pillar in the W Store. Though there are existing sustainable initiatives within the store already, we believe it is important to share these with the customer base and start the conversation about sustainability and the W Store. 
Also, if you are interested in sustainability and the W Store, please take a moment to fill out this short 2-minute survey regarding an alternative item to fast fashion clothing here. Thank you so much for your support and interest! 

Check out these sources for more resources about consumerism, fast fashion, and more ways to help combat fast fashion:

Fast Fashion Forward UW

Mindful Consumers UW