TDSB Earth Hour electricity reduction
2008 - 22%
2009 -27.8%
2010 - ?
Can we use less?
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Earth Hour Extras
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Register your school's Earth Hour participation. Scroll to the bottom left of the screen and click on count me in. Anyone wishing to sign their school up should first check with the principal and head caretaker!
For suggestions about what school communities can do click here
The WWF Canada teacher's site offers 30 very simple activities that relate to English, Science, and Social Studies. Enroll here.
View the world map showing all the countries that are participating.
Check out the inspiring gallery of student postcards from 2009!
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Application deadline
The deadline to submit your application is April 30, 2010. Existing EcoSchools must re-apply every year.
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Complete garbage and recycling information now just a click away!
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Check out the City's new online search tool with a database of about 2,500 items.
What Can You Recycle?
in the Certification Toolkit (pp.72-3) might be all you need! |
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Support for schools
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EcoSchools provides a 50% rebate available to all schools for recycling boxes, and lunchroom barrels.
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City of Toronto 2010 Recycling Calendars for Toronto apartment buildings & condominiums available in class sets!
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Chock-full of tips for smarter re-use and recycling. Features two pages specifically for residents in multi-units. A great additional resource for staff and students.To order: contact Fran Raymond
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Spring Community Clean-up Events
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It's time to begin planning for spring clean-up of schools yards, neighbourhoods, and nearby parks. From a TDSB computer click here to register your clean-up event and reserve gloves (one per student) and large bags. Register early. Check Direct Line for updates.
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Who is EcoSpark?
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EcoSpark
empowers people to take an active role in restoring and sustaining
their local environment. Formerly called Citizens' Environment Watch,
this organization educates communities and gives them the tools for
monitoring and influencing positive change.
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TDSB environmental milestone--Go Green: Climate Change Action Plan passes Board
 On Feb. 3rd, the Board of Trustees approved a revised Environment Policy that emphasizes the need to respond to climate change. At the same time, the Board received the new Go Green: Climate Change Action Plan.
"At the heart of the policy's intent," says EcoSchools Coordinator Richard Christie, "is the desire to provide support to staff, students, and parents/guardians who are trying to create more environmentally sustainable schools and workplaces."
The Plan outlines 10 actions that will bring an environmental perspective and a more coordinated approach to many Board practices. Actions are placed in three categories: Planning for the Long Term, Quick Starts, and Organizational Change. The Plan is fully aligned with the Director's Vision of Hope (October 2009).
Actions range from identifying and reducing the Board's greenhouse gas emissions to developing school grounds as community energy hubs and sites for food gardens. Christie points to Action 7 as one of special interest to schools: "We will be able to use the savings realized from once-a-week garbage pick-up to fund school-based environment projects and also hire four seasonal workers to support our large-tree planting program."
Like EcoSchools themselves, this plan is visionary in a very practical way. It gives us the outlines of a map for a greener future.
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TDSB Earth Hour--Friday March 26th, 2:00-3:00pm
EcoSchools Section
4: Question 4.7; Section 3: Question 3.5
Our very own TDSB Earth Hour is a visible symbol of the many actions we are taking every day in schools and offices to reduce our environmental impact. What makes Earth Hour unique is its simple focus that allows us to feel our common purpose:"we're all in this together."
All schools and offices are asked to use as little electricity as possible between 2:00 and 3:00 p.m. on Earth Hour Friday. TDSB Earth Hour posters (11x14" or 11x17" colour or B&W) are available to download now.
The global Earth Hour is on Saturday, March 27th between 8:30-9:30 pm.
Teachers, share your curriculum ideas! For a glimpse of what's already underway at Milliken PS and Hillcrest PS, click here.
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Ecological literacy resources for teachers
EcoSchools Section 3:
Questions 3.3, 3.4
Building a Solar Oven: This Earth Hour Week Challenge is proposed as a way to build knowledge, fulfill curriculum expectations, and have students experience cooking without using electricity. The activity is excerpted from EcoSchools new Grade 7 Heat in the Environment resource.
Ecosystems Jenga was such a hit at the recent Middle Schools conferences that all Milliken PS classrooms will be playing it during Earth Hour.
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Applying for certification this year? Start now!
EcoSchools Section
1: Question 1.2
Start your on-line
EcoSchools applications as soon as possible. This will help you see
where you are doing well and where you need to make improvements. You
don't need to complete the whole application. Just getting started will
help build momentum!
To begin
completing your application, click on the School Certification Application button
Note: You can only access this application
from a TDSB-networked computer using Outlook as your browser.
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Help is at hand...for EcoSchools old and new
If you want support in getting your EcoSchools program to thrive--or simply get started--don't hesitate to contact Mary Lovett (elementary) at 416.394.7470 or Maggie Ballantyne (secondary) at 416.394.7229! Sometimes a phone call is all it takes. School visits are also possible.
Call now--avoid the last-minute rush!
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Did you know? Design Consultations are required for school ground greening projects
EcoSchools Section 2.2: Question 2.2.1 
This EcoSchools service helps schools avoid mistakes that often only our experienced staff can spot. Be sure to make this free professional consultation (required for project approval) part of your plan. Improve your chances of long-term success!
We are now booking consultations in April, and every Tuesday thereafter. BOOK NOW! Spaces are limited and fill up quickly. You'll need to have your principal and other key greening committee members in attendance. Involving the caretaker is also a good idea!
The Design Consultation package provides the request form and a complete list of what schools need to have ready before the consultation, including a sample sketch.
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Behind the scenes: moving from toters to recycling bulk bins--why it matters!
Who could imagine the care that is taken about where our schools' recycling is stored? And why does it matter anyway?
Turns out there is a whole story here.
Most of us--unless we are caretakers or on a keen recycling team--don't even notice where our recycling goes once it is out of the classroom. More and more schools now have bulk recycling bins rather than toters, and that is good both for schools and the Board's budget. But it hasn't happened overnight, or without a lot of collaborative and patient work on the part of many people.
Talking to Ken MacLeod, a Family Team Leader in South East Operations in Facility Services, provided insight into this 'behind the scenes' story of how staff contributes to making our Board more efficient and more environmentally responsible. To learn why it matters and hear about the benefit for schools, click here.
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Ready to tackle reducing your waste? Try a waste audit!
 EcoSchools Section 2.3: Questions 2.3.1, 2.3.12
Why bother? Any time we use less stuff, reuse, and recycle we reduce energy use and landfill impacts. Less energy use means fewer greenhouse gases!
The Ontario Ministry of the Environment is currently visiting 40 of our schools to check on recycling and waste reduction efforts. All schools are required to do an annual waste audit and produce a Waste Reduction Work Plan. So it's the law (or more precisely, a Ministry Regulation). And anyway, it's the right thing to do! At Northview Height SS, NEAT (Northview Environmental Action Team) is preparing for the Ministry audit with an innovative Recycling on Demand activity worth reading about!
Helpful tools include a Waste Audit "how to" tip sheet, Waste Audit Worksheet, and a Waste Reduction Work Plan template. View Maurice Cody's highly visual Waste Audit Report and Work Plan for inspiration and ideas.
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Enter Environment Canada's Nature Matters! Contest (deadline is February 28th, 2010)
EcoSchools Section 3:
Question 3.3
The timeline is short. If you and your students/children have made the importance of nature a recurring theme, this contest can be a culmination of all that good work! 2010 is the International Year of Biodiversity.
Submit either a video or an essay answering this question:
Why is nature important to you?
Three different age groups: 9-13, 14-19, and 20-35 (hey! This can include some teachers and parents!!)
One grand prize-winner and 2 runners-up selected from each age group.
The six grand prize winners travel to Ottawa for International Biodiversity Day on May 22, 2010 and the winning entries will be displayed at the Montreal Biosphere.
Full contest details: English, French
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TDSB Climate change poster contest
(deadline is March 24th, 2010)
EcoSchools Section 3:
Question 3.6; Section 4: Question 4.7
Several teachers from the TDSB are developing a grade 10 Climate Change resource for classroom use. Students are invited to submit an original work of art that expresses what climate change means to them.
The winning entry will become the cover art for this new resource.
Instructions: 1) Students can use any physical or electronic media (paint, crayon, Photoshop, or any other software). The teacher is to submit the art work in the form of a JPEG (scanned or digital photograph) in portrait layout to
John Atherton.
2) The final piece will be sized to 14 x 18 cm. Keep this in mind so that clarity of the details will not be affected by reducing the original.
3) The teacher must verify in writing that the work is an original piece of art created by the student.
All entries will be posted on the EcoSchools website. Each student will receive a certificate of participation.
The winner can choose either: a one-year pass to the Art Gallery of Ontario, or the Ontario Science Centre, or a book of 5 movie passes.
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EcoSpark's high quality local environmental education programs available free of charge!
EcoSchools Section 3:
Question 3.5
Wattwize
Students will run a school electricity audit and then create and implement an electricity conservation plan. EcoSpark will give you and your students the help and resources you need to succeed! The Bethune Environmental Action Team (BEAT) implemented Wattwise at their school and highly recommends taking part! Free. Grades 5/6 and
9-12. To find out more click here.
Changing Currents
Help your students explore the health of their local stream or river. Students will learn about using bugs to monitor the quality of water through an in-field stream assessment hosted by EcoSpark staff. In-class resources and teacher training provided. Free.Grades 8-12.
For more information click here.
Changing Currents begins in April 2010, but register now!
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Tree Workshop Resources
EcoSchools Section 3:
Questions 3.1, 3.3, 3.4
City of Toronto trees are donated to the Board each fall. New on our website we share some of the activities that were part of the tree workshop for teachers at recipient schools: Calculating Board Feet, Tree Ecosystem, and The Arts and Trees.
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From the editor's desk...
The comprehensive TDSB Go Green: Climate Change Action Plan is part of a strong new alignment of purpose in greening our Board and our schools. It responds to the revised Environment Policy's emphasis on climate change; it is aligned with the Director's Vision of Hope.
Preparing the way for this plan has taken years of collaboration among many. EcoSchools has been a central part of the gradual reorientation that has propelled the TDSB toward becoming the greenest school board in Canada. The plan addresses the need for the technical assessment of greenhouse gases and exploration of renewable energy technologies for schools. It also pays attention to the importance of regular ongoing consultation among central departments and with school staff, students, parents/guardians, and the community.
This plan can be a compass for proceeding through the decade ahead. But a compass is only useful if we check it from time to time. You have helped to bring us this far. Now it's time to do more--everyone can play a part!
Best regards
Eleanor Dudar
P.S. Challenge to any reader who would like to substitute a GIS metaphor for the old-fashioned compass above--let us hear from you!
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