Come get School and Arts Supplies for free! 

Looking for free school, office, or arts supplies?   Then swing by the Trash to Treasure Pop Up - an event for swapping new or gently-used items.  Students, faculty, and staff welcome to donate and/or shop.

This sustainability initiative collects unused or surplus items and redistributes them to students and LU community—fostering connection while keeping perfectly usable items out of our local landfills and reducing demand for brand new items.

Accepted Items: 

• Office & School Supplies: Binders, pens, notebooks, organizers, and general desk items.

• Department or Promotional Surplus: Any functional items, kitchen, small appliances or equipment, mugs, pens, hoodies, lanyard, notebooks your unit no longer requires

• Event/Office Snacks: Any snacks or refreshments that are coming up on their expiry dates.

• Arts & Craft Supplies: (sorted by type and contained separately): fine art supplies, drawing, painting, fiber arts & fabric, paper crafts, beads, jewelry, printing supplies, instructional books, general arts and crafts tools, organizers.  

Not Accepted:  

• Bedding 

• Food 

• Broken or unusable items

• Completed or partially completed projects 

 To Donate in advance (encouraged): Fill out this Google Form to arrange drop off or pick up. 

To Donate at the event:  Simply bring items to the Trash to Treasure event. 

To Volunteer at the event:  Fill out this Volunteer Google Form. 

 To Attend and "Shop":  Swing by the Chancellor Paterson Library Courtyard 11am - 1pm (or until supplies run out!)

 Questions? Email Rachel Portinga, Acting Sustainability Coordinator,  rporting@lakeheadu.ca

The Etuaptmumk bimoseng (Two-Eyed Seeing Walk) is a land-based learning experience that invites participants to explore the Indigenous history before contact, culture and relationships connected to the lands surrounding the Thunder Bay campus.

Etuaptmumk bimoseng (pronunciation) (Two-Eyed Seeing Walk) brings together both Indigenous and Western knowledge systems together in a balancing framework.

Guided along Lake Tamblyn, McIntyre River, and surrounding campus lands, participants engage with teachings connected to Anthropology, Indigenous traditional medicines, Treaties, colonization and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The experience encourages participants to better understand the significance of reconciliation through experiential learning from the land. 

We are offering two more public walks before the snow falls:  

• Wed, Aug 26, 2-3:30 
• Wed, Oct 21, 2-3:30

Click here for more info.   

Register here.

The Etuaptmumk bimoseng (Two-Eyed Seeing Walk) is a land-based learning experience that invites participants to explore the Indigenous history before contact, culture and relationships connected to the lands surrounding the Thunder Bay campus.

Etuaptmumk bimoseng (pronunciation) (Two-Eyed Seeing Walk) brings together both Indigenous and Western knowledge systems together in a balancing framework.

Guided along Lake Tamblyn, McIntyre River, and surrounding campus lands, participants engage with teachings connected to Anthropology, Indigenous traditional medicines, Treaties, colonization and the Truth and Reconciliation Commission.

The experience encourages participants to better understand the significance of reconciliation through experiential learning from the land. 

We are offering two more public walks before the snow falls:  

• Wed, Aug 26, 2-3:30 
• Wed, Oct 21, 2-3:30

Click here for more info.   

Register here.

The Lakehead Labyrinth is a place of peace, reflection, and natural beauty. To keep it that way, we need your help! 

Come lend a hand to care for our beloved labyrinth - weeding, tidying, mulching, and planting.  Stop by for part of your lunch hour for some time outdoors.  Learn about labyrinths, native plants, and why this space matters to all of us. Weeding Wednesdays are also connected to Campus Beautification Days! 

Aug 26, Sept 9, Sept 23, Oct 7, Oct 21, Nov 4  (Wednesdays)

11:30-1:30 

Equipment provided + Good Company + Outside Time 

Questions?  Contact Heather Wright hwright1@lakeheadu.ca 

Meet at the labyrinth  - Walk toward the Bora Laskin Faculty of Ed building, and look out on the grassy area for a circle of boulders and shrubs. 

Join us for LU-nch Breakers

• Every Tuesday 12 to 1 p.m.
• June 23, 2026 to September 29, 2026

Where?

• Bring your lunch to the picnic tables right outside the CASES Building (sun and shade available).  Chat with folks and enjoy some time outside! 
• Rain/heat/smoke location:  Agora, Alumni Commons.

Everyone is welcome and no RSVPs are required, please drop in and join for a lunch whenever you'd like!

Your help is needed to welcome our new plants! 

Come and help weed out the garden beds and plant-in our new native plants. 

Everyone Welcome!   

No registration required, just pop any time in the 3 hour window. 

Snacks and Equipment provided. 

Join the Office of Sustainability for any of our Campus Beautification Days!  We will pull weeds and generally care for garden spaces across the Thunder Bay campus.  Gloves, tools, and snacks provided.  

• June 24
• July 31 (*New DATE* due to previous wildfire smoke)
• August 20
• September 18

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  all four dates

Registration is helpful for our planning, but walk-ins are very welcome!

If you have any questions regarding the Campus Beautification Days, please reach out to Rachel Portinga, Sustainability Coordinator, at rporting@lakeheadu.ca.

Join the Office of Sustainability for any of our Campus Beautification Days!  We will pull weeds and generally care for garden spaces across the Thunder Bay campus.  Gloves, tools, and snacks provided.  

• June 24
• July 15
• August 20
• September 18

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  all four dates

Registration is helpful for our planning, but walk-ins are very welcome!

If you have any questions regarding the Campus Beautification Days, please reach out to Rachel Portinga, Sustainability Coordinator, at rporting@lakeheadu.ca.

Join the Office of Sustainability for any of our Campus Beautification Days!  We will pull weeds and generally care for garden spaces across the Thunder Bay campus.  Gloves, tools, and snacks provided.  

• June 24
• July 15
• August 20
• September 18

11 a.m. to 2 p.m.  all four dates

Registration is helpful for our planning, but walk-ins are very welcome!

If you have any questions regarding the Campus Beautification Days, please reach out to Rachel Portinga, Sustainability Coordinator, at rporting@lakeheadu.ca.

Are you recycling your office supplies? Now you can!

Save your used office supplies and recycle them on designated days.

On October 2, from 11 a.m. to 1 pm, and October 3, 1 pm to 3 p.m., students, faculty and staff can drop off their office supplies, as well as electronic waste (e-waste) at the designated station in the Agora. This event is supported by the Office of Sustainability, Engineers without Borders - Lakehead Chapter, and Physical Plant.

Accepted items for office supply:

• Binder Clips and Fasteners

• Binders

• Card Filers

• Correction Supplies

• Desk Organizers

• Label Backing

• Markers

• Paper Cutters

• Paperclips

• Pens

• Staplers

• Tape Dispensers

Not accepted: wooden pencils, lithium ion batteries, oil based paints, pressurized canisters, light bulbs. 

These materials will be recycled into new products courtesy of Terra Cycle. The collected items are "mechanically and/or manually separated into metals, fibers, and plastics. Metals are melted so they may be recycled. The fibers (such as paper or wood-based products) are recycled or composted. The plastics undergo extrusion and pelletization to be molded into new recycled plastic products."

Accepted items for E-waste

• Computers and Laptops: Desktops, laptops, tablets, monitors, keyboards, mice, and external hard drives.

• Small Audio/Video Equipment.

• Cell Phones and Smartphones: Including all accessories like chargers and batteries.

• Small Electronics: Calculators, cameras, e-readers, gaming consoles, and small appliances.

While recycling is an important way to divert waste, always consider where you can reduce your purchase and use of these items first.

 Questions can be emailed to lpmckell@lakeheadu.ca