SFU alumnus on route to stellar zero waste career

Teghan Acres graduated in the height of the pandemic in June of 2021 with a Bachelor of Environment in Resource and Environmental Management.

She is returning to SFU’s Burnaby campus this month to commemorate her time at SFU and celebrate the achievement. “I was disappointed to miss an in-person ceremony due to COVID but am very grateful SFU has decided to honour the students with this ceremony. It will feel like a true celebration of all the hard work and dedication I put into my time at SFU,” says Teghan.

To look back on Teghan’s time at SFU is to see years of student engagement, global exchanges, multiple work experiences and advocacy for better campus sustainability practices.

Teghan developed a deep interest in zero waste and the circular economy through her involvement with Ban the Bottle—a group advocating to end the sale of single-use plastic water bottles on campus. While the group was successful in achieving and expanding its goal, this was just the beginning for Teghan.

Since finishing classes, Teghan has been working on contract as the Communications and Engagement Coordinator for the National Zero Waste Council and as a freelance writer and environmental communicator. Passionate about zero waste and fostering a circular economy, Teghan often writes for clients like Tradle and SFU Ancillary Services and teaches workshops to grade school classes on the topic. She recently published a feature article on the intersections of community, climate change and Buy Nothing groups in Asparagus Magazine.

After a year away from school, Teghan has decided to continue to pursue her interests in environmental communication and sustainable practices by starting her Master of Arts in Environmental Education and Communication at Royal Roads University this summer. “I am excited to spend time with my peers in the classroom again and keep learning and exploring in my field,” says Teghan.