Designing Change for a Living Planet

Students can design our future

What’s the Next Big Shift? From bike share programs to online paperless banking, almost overnight, innovations are changing how we shop, commute, learn, access entertainment, and connect with others. These big shifts have had local, regional, even global reach.

WWF calls for all eyes on accelerating change that will protect and restore our planet at the annual Designing Change for a Living Planet competition. Each year, we invite students from colleges and universities to apply to join us at our Toronto office for a day to design and pitch ideas to launch the next big shift in our daily lives.

How it works

*In light of the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak, WWF’s Designing Change for a Living Planet 2020 event has been postponed until further notice. The health and safety of our students, partners, and staff are our top priorities.*

From January 14 – February 17, students from all academic disciplines were invited to apply to join professionals from different industries at the WWF Toronto office on Saturday March 14 (postponed until further notice) to create and share their ideas on how to build a sustainable future.

Drawing inspiration from the everyday and each student’s unique academic background, participants will have the opportunity to:

Represent their campus
Create and innovate at WWF with their student team of four
Connect with other post-secondary students and staff
Develop new contacts with professionals from different industries
Present concepts to WWF staff and a panel of expert judges
Compete for a prize (to be announced) and a one-on-one mentoring opportunity with an industry professional in a sector area of their choice

The application period for this year’s event has closed.

Students who are selected to represent their campus will be notified at the end of February. Please stay tuned to hear more about this year’s event and how you can get involved in Designing Change for a Living Planet next year.

Frequently asked questions

When and where is the event? In light of the rapidly evolving coronavirus outbreak, WWF’s Designing Change for a Living Planet 2020 event has been postponed until further notice. The health and safety of our students, partners, and staff are our top priorities.

Who will be there? Student teams from different colleges and universities will be joined by campus sustainability professionals, sustainability experts across diverse sectors, and WWF-Canada staff.

Who can participate? Successful applicants will be contacted at the end of February and will participate in the event on March 14, 2020.

How can I register to participate? The application period for this year’s event has closed. Please stay tuned to the Living Planet @ Campus website for opportunities to participate in next year’s event.

When will campus teams be selected? Students selected to represent their campus will be notified at the end of February.

What previous experience is needed? No previous experience in design competitions or knowledge of sustainability or conservation is needed. All perspectives and academic backgrounds are encouraged and welcome to apply.

What preparation is needed? No preparation is needed. Everything required to successfully participate will be provided at the event.

Are student stipends available? Student stipends are not currently available through WWF-Canada (but in some cases, participating WWF Campus Partners are able to offer student stipends). Students are responsible for getting to and from the event.

My school is too far to participate. Will this event be available to other regions of Canada? Currently, this event will not be available to other regions of Canada this school year. Stay tuned to next year for updates.

Get inspired: Past campus teams

University of Toronto Mississauga- 1st place

Taking a global perspective, local communities are incentivized to collect and remove plastic fishing nets and gear from the places wildlife call home. Partnering with and rewarding local community members financially, private international businesses can incorporate the plastic material collected into new products, creating a circular economy and employment opportunities.

University of Guelph – Honourable mention

University of Guelph students shared the idea of creating a market for recycled plastic. Individuals can bring and deposit their personal plastic to local processing facilities to be recycled, and receive cash or discounts to stores. By sourcing the plastic they need from these facilities to create products - recycled plastic - manufacturers receive a sustainability certification.

Niagara College – Honourable mention

Niagara College tackled a problem impacting many grocery shoppers: forgetting your reusable bags at home. Instead of using a plastic bag, shoppers can buy a reusable bag and return it next time for a partial refund. Cleaning the bags between customers, stores reduce plastic at the source, creating a closed loop.

University of Windsor

Students suggested a campus-wide plastic currency system. Any recycled products brought to campus can be exchanged for points, giving students discounts at the school’s farmers markets and stores. Campus plastic collected will be re-purposed by students into artwork and products to re-sell at the farmers market.

University of Toronto St. George

Students proposed an informative app that makes recycling clear and convenient. With a quick bar code scan, the app shows if the item is recyclable in their city and shares tips on reuse. With continued use of the app and by participating in sustainable initiatives, users can collect points and redeem them.

University of Ottawa

To design, develop, and disrupt for circular economy while supporting under-served remote and rural communities, the team of students focused on the second R in recycling: Reuse! Plastic can be deposited at local facilities where they will be ground, melted and molded into everyday household products for the rural community.

Seneca College

Seneca students asked: How can sustainable behaviors at work improve? HR staff can walk the talk and drive sustainability, inspiring employees. From hiring environmentally-minded individuals, teaching recycling values, sustainably sourcing office supplies, a culture of conservation can be fostered. Especially when employees are rewarded for their participation and environmental stewardship.

University of Waterloo

Students from the University of Waterloo came tackled some of the issues with public recycling facilities. Rather than using multiple facilities to organize waste, all plastic could be gathered at one centralized location, warmed, and molded into other products. Through incentives, residents are encouraged to promote the reuse of plastic.

Fleming College

Through their Community Cleanup Coalition idea, students aim to empower individuals to combat plastic waste on land. With an app, users can snap and track litter found, contribute citizen science, and gain points for proper disposal. Users are united around a common interest on the app’s social media component.

Ryerson University

Ryerson University students developed an idea for a system – Depot-Pod - that conveniently recycles and separates plastic in condos and schools. Scanning the QR code on the receptacle, users are instantly educated on recyclable and compostable items for proper disposal. With an app, use of the Pod accumulates points for rewards.

Humber College

Humber College students aim to empower and educate others on plastic consumption in creating visual representations of our waste. The interactive art installations, called Boomerang, use plastic waste created at the institution. Boomerang can highlight for schools, workplaces, companies and more how much waste is being produced and mobilize action.

Mohawk College

PET (polyethylene terephthalate) is a completely recyclable plastic. However, the rate users recycle it is very low. Motivating individuals, institutions, businesses, even cities, to consciously use PET and recycle it, Mohawk students proposed improving the existing infrastructure by lowering costs and barriers, and allowing parties to sell the PET they collect to manufacturers.

Why participate

Build your resume with professional skills

Develop the skillsets employers are looking for, including: Critical & Analytical Thinking, Problem Solving, Strategic Planning and Time Management. Throughout the event, students will practice Thought Leadership, Pitching & Presenting, and Teamwork & Collaboration.

Have a voice and contribute to change

Come together with students from different academic programs and schools to share perspectives on how sustainability can be practiced. Working with an interdisciplinary team, multi-faceted and creative solutions can be born.

Build your network of professional contacts

Networking is one of the most effective ways to find a job and meet the right people. Take the opportunity to get in front of industry professionals from diverse sectors at Designing Change for a Living Planet and widen your professional network.

Living Planet Leader

Designing Change for a Living Planet provides unique opportunities to develop and demonstrate leadership skills and experience teamwork. Participants can use this opportunity to complete their Living Planet Leader category for Leadership and teamwork.

Testimonials

Had a great time collaborating with peers interested in sustainability. We took a holistic look at an important issue and delivered recommendations to industry leaders that were well received. Thank you so much for the opportunity to collaborate for a better world!

Devon Fernandes
Community Psychology, MA, Wilfrid Laurier University, 2018

Being a part of this experience has opened my eyes to the power and influence students can have!

Kristina Guga, General Arts and Science, George Brown College, 2019

WWF's Designing Change For a Living Planet 2018 was an incredible event put on by caring and dedicated volunteers that consisted of WWF-Canada staff, academic institutions and other organizations. This event challenges individuals to not only think outside the box and disrupt the norm but to redefine societal norms as they currently exist for a better future.

Rob Monico
Office of Sustainability, Fleming College