Environmental Commitment

Pacific Rim College is committed to preserving the environment and promoting natural and sustainable medicinal and lifestyle practices.

Sustainable Medicines

At the heart of Pacific Rim College is sustainable medicines. The holistic medical practices we teach and encourage are gentle on the environment through the use of organic products, local sourcing, responsible packaging and minimal waste. By integrating modern and traditional medical practices, we are endeavouring to empower our community to decrease reliance on conventional medicine and ensure that ancient and traditional knowledge will not be lost.

Sustainable Living

With a unparalleled yearlong program in Permaculture Design and Resilient Ecosystems, PRC is paving the way for sustainable land stewardship and environmentally-friendly building practices.

Environmental Stewardship

Pacific Rim College maintains the green standard of eco-certification with the Vancouver Island Green Business Certification. The Vancouver Island Green Business Certification was built to recognize the efforts of local businesses that are reducing their environmental impact. For businesses, it is a guide to greening operations and educating staff. For consumers, it is a symbol that lets you know which businesses have green practices.

PRC  is a Surfrider Approved Business. The Surfrider Foundation has a proven model for success—a playbook and a team—that transforms passion into protection. They ensure beaches are accessible, keep our water clean, protect our ocean, preserve our coasts and keep plastic from polluting our waterways.

Beginning in 2015, Pacific Rim College initiated a project to plant trees for every graduate. We now have a partnership with onetreeplanted.org to plant 10 trees per graduate.

Alternative Energy

Our Victoria campus is Bullfrog Powered. Bullfrog Power is Canada’s 100% green energy provider. Bullfrog’s green electricity comes exclusively from wind and hydro facilities that have been certified as low impact by Environment Canada under its EcoLogoM program – instead of from polluting sources like coal, oil, natural gas and nuclear. A clean, renewable alternative to fossil-fuel based natural gas, Bullfrog’s green natural gas is produced in Canada from biogas facilities that have met strict environmental criteria as defined by ICF International.

In 2017, all personal computer energy used by our teaching faculty is being offset by green energy from Bullfrog Power.

Recycling and Composting

Our Victoria campus is fully equipped with recycling receptacles and compost bins. We even recycle soft plastics. All herbs dispensed from our organic herbal dispensary are done so in compostable bags or recyclable glass containers.

Upcycling

Almost any time we do a campus renovation or expansion, or simply need a piece of furniture, we source upcycled materials and give them new life. Our campus has wood reclaimed from derelict Chinatown buildings, discarded shipping pallets, old homes, and more.

Low Impact

We minimize our print material as much as possible and use recycled and FSC certified papers when we do print.

Thinking Local

We support many local, ethical and eco companies including upcyclers, herbal companies, superfoods suppliers, and grocers.