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DOUBLE ISSUE--scan for gems!  Do not attempt to read all at once!!! 
October 2013
Volume 6 Issue 1
In this issue:
A new school year brings renewed energy to the EcoSchools kick-offs!
EcoSchools kick-off pd sessions have begun.  We encourage each school to send 4 adult team members of their teams, and provide ½ day release for 2 teachers. The elementary school teams are organized within their Family of Schools and are held at local schools within each FOS.  It is a great opportunity for our team to meet with school teams to describe program changes and to learn how EcoSchools is progressing at your school. It's also a chance for you to share your ideas with other colleagues. This year's kick-off sessions are very interactive, with lots of opportunities to network and come away with ideas you can use at your school. Don't miss out on this opportunity to build your EcoSchools community. We look forward to seeing you!

 

Elementary kick-offs questions?  Please contact

 

Secondary kick-offs take place October 21st-25th where student teams and their teachers meet at Hart House on the U of T campus. For more about secondary kick-offs, please contact Erin Wood.

 

* The EcoSchools website has a new online home:

 
What's new?
  
   
 
EcoSchools introduces firm deadlines for registering and applying to be (re)certified

 

Continuing  to support schools while experiencing staff changes means that we need more help from you. We need you to meet these deadlines: Dec. 15th for registering, and April 15th, 2014 for applying to be audited. (If you are seeking platinum certification, you also need to let Wendy Abbot know of your intent to apply by Nov. 22nd). 

 

Registering actually takes only a few minutes. We hope that having these firm deadlines will be helpful to you too. The Dec. 15th deadline becomes an additional reason to discuss participation as a school earlier in the year. As with other important initiatives, staff has to make a decision to participate by a certain time.

  

 

Our Solar Future  

This grade 6 electricity guide, developed by EcoSpark and TDSB staff, offers teachers a set of activities to get students thinking about the critical energy choices that lie ahead. Three different scenarios and roles give students a chance to explore ways to re-shape our energy future. 

 

 

Solar panels on 311 schools: quick facts

33.6MW (33,600 kW)

42.5 million kWh/year

Equivalent to the annual electricity used in

4250 homes

 
Power from the sun coming to 32 schools this year!

 

The Solar Schools Project is underway! It will roll out in phases over the next three years, with solar panels installed on 311 TDSB roofs. This represents a third of all of the solar contracts awarded by the Ontario Power Authority in its latest round. 
  
The 311 schools meet the technical requirements (e.g., orientation to the sun, ability to be connected to the local grid, and roof structure), are large enough to generate sufficient revenue to justify upfront investment, and were approved by the Ontario Power Authority.

Immediate repair and replacement work on 32 school roofs will begin this fall. For more details, including a list of participating schools click here.

  


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
Toronto Youth Environmental Council seeks secondary school reps

 

Toronto Youth Environmental Council (TYEC) is a youth-run, non-profit organization whose goal is to promote environmental sustainability among youth and connect with secondary schools. TYEC is hosting school rep meetings. If you're a part of your school's EcoTeam or have a passion for the environment, and want hear what other schools are doing, sign up on its Facebook account.

 

Meetings will be held once a month at City Hall. 

 

Call for executive committee members: Events Co-ordinator (2), Communications Director, Marketing Director, Schools Outreach Director, Secretary. 

Deadline: Friday, Oct. 4th. Sign up at www.torontoyec.com.

_______________________________________________________

  

  

Waste-free lunch flyer in several languages

Check out Ontario EcoSchools 8 foreign language versions of its Waste-free Lunch flyer. This may be just what's needed to reach parents in many school communities!
New waste audit tool

 

EcoSchools Section 2: Questions 2.2.1, 2.2.5, 2.1.13

 

Now that Mieke Foster has retired schools will be responsible for completing their own waste audits. Staff has rallied round to create an excel spreadsheet to simplify the calculations you need to do to identify problem areas and develop action plans. The 2-page "how-to" tip sheet on how to do a waste audit in the Certification Toolkit (pp. 45-46) gives a brief overview of the method that Mieke developed for schools.

  


 

 

 

For implementation questions:

Erin Wood at erin.wood@tdsb.on.ca.

 

For questions about bins:

Robin McCrudden at robin.mccrudden@tdsb.on.ca.
Green bin collection now available for schools!

 

EcoSchools Section 2.2: Question 2.2.1; Section 5: Question 5.5

 

If your school isn't already signed up to receive green

bins, this fall is a good time to start! It's a great opportunity to letstudents do a lot of the work and develop their skills in

planning, making persuasive presentations, and helping to make positive change in the school's environmental performance.

 

Resources available at 

TDSBweb>Services>EcoSchools> Resources and Guides

 * Green Bin video (5 min) created with Avondale PS students

* Setting Up a Green Bin Program in Your School guide

  
To register complete the online questionnaire: click here. 
Resources

  

Fly with an eagle!

Soar high above the French Alps in Chamonix, France, near the Mer De Glace glacier (1:26)

 

 

 



 

On the weekend

Check out the Rouge Valley calendar of weekend hikes and events for the whole year. Hikes are 2 hours in length; pay-what-you-can ($2 per person suggested)

 
Rouge Valley Conservation Centre programs  

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.4, 4.7

 
Canada's first urban national park has a wealth of great interactive programs for all grades, divided into two categories: 6 nature programs and 4 energy programs. Programs are carefully aligned with the Ontario Curriculum (K-12). Take a quick look at these wonderful opportunities for guided learning outdoors! For specific details on a particular program for your grade level, please email education@rvcc.ca.
 

COST:  $8 per student

 

NEW SUBSIDY! From Sept. 2013-June 2014, classes from schools in priority areas (limit: 40 students) will be eligible for a $200 subsidy provided by the Toronto Field Naturalists and TD Friends of the Environment.

 

For more information about eligibility for a subsidy, call 416.282.8265 or email education@rvcc.ca. 

 

 

Quench--free app to help you find "free" water!

The Water Brothers TV series brings you a free app to locate the nearest water bottle filling station or fountain in the GTA!
Water Brothers Season 2 on TVO--Tuesdays from Sept. 10th-Oct. 22nd at 7:30 pm

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4

 

The Water Brothers' second season follows more of Alex and Tyler Mifflin's eco-adventures in uncovering major water stories around the globe. Join them to explore the relation between women and water in parts of Africa, cross the Pacific by sailboat to investigate the "great garbage patch,"  climb Mount Kilimanjaro, and more.

 
Re-broadcast: 6:30 pm Saturdays. To catch up on the series if you haven't been watching, all 7 episodes are available to view online.

 

  


EcoSpark Stream Study
Changing Currents: EcoSpark's free water monitoring program (Gr's 8-12)

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7

  
On this half-day EcoSpark field trip students visit their local stream or river and assess its health by examining the bugs that live in the water. EcoSpark staff will provide the expertise, the equipment, and lots of in-class resources. Teacher training in river monitoring required.  

 

Click here for more information.

  


wattwize
Electricity monitoring: Ecospark's Wattwise resource

 EcoSchools Section 2: Question 2.1.9; Section 4: Questions 4.3, 4.4, 4.5

 
This clearly written Teacher's Guide will give students tools to monitor their school's electricity. Some of the information may be more than you need if you are a teacher of younger grades. If you're too busy, skip right to the excellent audit templates for assessing electricity use, and developing and implementing a conservation plan. Abundant opportunity for student engagement as environmental citizens improving their world beginning in their school. Lots of links to other schools' existing plans on the Wattwise pages of EcoSpark's site. 

  

  

 

Need help writing applications and proposals? 

 

Check out this Fundraising Tips tool from the EcoSchools Certification Toolkit--one of our best!
List of funders   

 

Our wonderful colleagues at Ontario EcoSchools have put together a complete list of all funding organizations that may provide grants for school and/or school community environmental projects. We are aware that some schools are more likely to have volunteers with the time and skills to apply for funding, and indeed to work on out-of-class environmental projects. This is an equity issue we struggle with. Any thoughts?

Events

  


 

 

RSVP here to enter to win a chance to meet Sarah Harmer!

 

For details search #RocktheLine on Twitter

 
Free concert: Rock the Line, Sun. October 6th

 

Join musicians Sarah Harmer, Gord Downie and The Sadies, Hayden and Minotaurs for this free concert. "The line" is line 9, a 37-year-old pipeline that Enbridge proposes to use to transport tar sands oil from Alberta to Montreal. Only the minor construction required at the terminals is subject to full environmental assessment, not the aged pipeline itself.

 

Come and hear great music and learn about the dangers posed by a possible pipeline leak, and alternatives to accelerate the switch from fossil fuels to cleaner energy. Sponsored by Environmental Defence.

 

Location: Mel Lastman Square (near North York subway stop)

Date and time: Sunday, October 6th, 2-5 pm

Free children's activities provided by TREC

  


What is 350.org?
A global grassroots movement to solve the climate crisis and confront climate change deniers. Wikipedia tells us that 350.org takes its name from the research of Goddard Institute for Space Studies scientist James E. Hansen, who posited that 350 parts-per-million (ppm) of CO2 in the atmosphere is a safe upper limit to avoid a climate tipping point. Our current ppm of atmospheric CO2 is 395.15. 

 

Connect the Dots: A site that 350.org hosts to connect the dots between climate change and extreme weather.
Free film: Do the Math! Tues. October 15th

 

Sizzling documentary by 350.org tells the story of the grassroots movement trying to change the terrifying math of the climate crisis. We're promised that we'll come away inspired to act! Movie and panel 
discussion with Elizabeth May, Green Party leader, and Adria Vasil, NOW magazine ecoholic columnist. 

 

Date and times: Tues., Oct. 15th, 5:45pm and 8:15 pm
Location: Bloor Cinema, 506 Bloor St W
Cost: Free!!! But hurry, tickets won't last long!

Order tickets: Toronto350.org/math

  
Earth Day Canada EcoMentors' Youth Summit
Fri. October 25th-Sun. October 27th

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5; Section 5: Question 5.6

 

Join innovators, students, and activists (aged 14 to 30) and 150 educators at the Beyond Green Youth Summit. Explore environmental issues issues from different angles during a weekend of workshops, talks, and performances.

 

For more information, visit www.earthday.ca/beyondgreen.

Register today!

 

Time: Friday, Oct. 25th - Sunday Oct. 27th

Where: University of Toronto, St. George campus

Cost: $35 (groups of 10 or more are eligible for a 15% discount)

Questions? Contact jon-erik@earthday.ca 

  


BOOK NOW--

Spaces are going fast!

 

 

 

 
2013 Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival School Programs  Fri. November 22nd

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.3, 4.4, 4.5; Section 5: Question 5.6

 

Elementary: 10am-12pm

TIFF Bell LIghtbox and Jackman Hall, AGO

 

Two Water Brothers films:

  Plastic Ocean (the great garbage patch)

 The Pure and the Poisoned (the holy dip in the Ganges)

 

Secondary:  1pm-3pm

GMO OMG (explores genetically modified organisms) at Jackman Hall, AGO

Revolution (about changing the world--journey through 15 countries in 4 years) at TIFF Bell Lightbox

Cost: $5 per student

To book: email Stephanie@planetinfocus.org

  










REGISTER SOON!

Spaces will be filled quickly.



Middle Schools Conference
At the middle school conference, learning and fun are completely intertwined!

EcoSchools Middle School Conference

Tues. January 14th-Fri. January 17th, 2014

 

EcoSchools Section 1: Question 1.6; Section 4: Questions 4.3, 4.4, 4.5
 
The middle school conference is one of the most popular and results-producing events of the EcoSchools year! Tapping students' desire to protect the environment and create a better world--starting right in their own school--has proven to be a great way to foster leadership and strengthen community.

Open to grade 7 & 8 students only. Maximum 9 students and 1 staff per school. Release funds supplied for 1 teacher.

 

Location: Downsview Park, Discovery Centre, 35 Carl Hall Rd *Access via TTC: Take the 108 Downsview bus from Downsview subway station, get off at John Drury Drive

  

Time:  8:30am-3:30pm

To register:

  1. Go to Key to Learn and do a quick search for:
    EcoSchools Middle School Conference
  2. On a TDSB computer, go to this link: http://zweblms/keytoLearnStaff/Register/index.asp?courseid=515267 

 Registration deadline: Monday December 2, 2013 

 Questions? Contact Erin Wood at erin.wood@tdsb.on.ca  or 416.697.1949.  

Campaigns

  
20/20 The Way to Clean Air   

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.6; Section 5: Question 5.6

 

Developed by the Clean Air Partnership, the 20/20 The Way to Clean Air program offers teachers a way to help students apply their learning about energy conservation in school and at home. All grade 5 teachers will receive an introductory package in October.

 

To register your classroom and order free print copies of the  20/20 Planner, call 416.338.7600, e-mail 2020@toronto.ca 

or go to the air quality website. 

  







Short how-to-videos for waste-free lunches.

Check out the waste-free lunch tools available by clicking here. Scroll down the page to section 2.2. of the EcoSchools Certification Toolkit.

 

 

 

 

  
Waste Reduction Week October 21st-25th: 
Take the Waste-free Lunch Challenge 

 

EcoSchools Section 2.2: Questions 2.2.1-2.2.4, Section 4: Question 4.5

 

One of the best ways to reduce your schools' immediate impact is to bring waste-free lunches. The Waste-free Lunch Challenge invites elementary schools across Ontario to go waste-free for a whole week during Waste Reduction Week.

By October 18th: Register your class or your whole school   

 

On October 18th: Measure lunch waste produced on a normal day (baseline).  

 

October 21st-25th: Measure lunch waste produced each day during the week.

 

By November 15th: Submit your entry form with your results and a brief summary of your experience.  

 

For details: Click here (including prize information!)

Stories from our schools 

  






The sweet smile of success!
McKee PS reaches new "lows" with its boomerang lunch program!

 

EcoSchools Section 1: Question 1.1; Section 2.1: Question 2.2.1; Section 4: Question 4.5; Section 5: Question 5.5 
 
A week's worth of lunchtime waste doesn't add up to much at McKee PS these days! Caretaker Trevor Gauthier plays a lead role. In the early days he has been standing at the doorway and inspecting every student (500+) before they head out for play. It's a real team effort--lunchroom supervisors understand the program's goals, teachers discuss monitoring consumption with students, principal and vice-principal circulate in the lunchroom regularly to reinforce the message. Preparation and parent buy-in was key. Building on a well-established EcoSchools culture, McKee's parents, students, and staff agreed back in June to make a serious commitment to this waste minimization effort. No garbage cans or recycling bins are available in McKee's lunch room.  After 5 days, just one partly-filled garbage bag (instead of the usual 6-7 completely full bags) and one very happy school community! Well done everyone!!! 

  


 
 
The LSF Jack Layton Award for Youth Action in Sustainability

Learning for a Sustainable Future (LSF) established the LSF Jack Layton Award for Youth Action in Sustainability to honour Jack Layton's optimism and hope about creating a more sustainable future. Click to visit the website to view the Application Form and the LSF Rubric used by the judges to choose winners. Schools can nominate themselves or be nominated by someone else.
Think about it! Applications accepted until spring 2014.
Congratulations to William G Davis and Duke of Connaught PS--Jack Layton award honourable mention

 

EcoSchools Section 1: Question 1.1; Section 3: Questions 3.3, 3.4; Section 4: Question 4.5; Section 5: Question 5.5

 

Both schools received honourable mention for their outstanding work in creating gardens that brought people together and enriched teaching and learning about the environment. Duke of Connaught staff Patrick Darkhor, April Hodgins, Lisa McDonald, Lizette Diniz, Tim Noonan, and Harry Shapero and their students worked together at a large redesign of unused land at the front of the school and painted and decorated the fence with animal cut-outs.

 

At WiIliam G Davis, Natasha Cardoso and her grade 1 class partnered with Mike Turner's landscaping class from Sir Oliver Mowat, as well as community members and a Starbucks volunteer, to create and care for their front-of-school perennial garden. Go to the site for a few more details about these ambitious school projects. Inspiring work! 

Challenges/Contests 

 

 

 

 

Provides a great way for students to get a clearer idea of what our city's natural "habitat" consists of and connect to our natural boundaries. Shows 97 certified EcoSchools (2006).
RBC-Evergreen Watershed Champions awards

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7; Section 5: Question 5.6
 
For the 2013-2014 school year, generous cash prizes will recognize the best watershed education in Canada (1 for $3500) and regionally (2 -$2500 prizes: Grades K-6 and 7-9). What a great way to focus everyone's desire to achieve excellence!

Take a few minutes to examine the judging criteria  to decide if your approach to water issues and watershed education will put your class or school in the running!

 

Materials may be submitted in English or French. For more information, email waterchamps@evergreen.ca or phone 1-888-426-3138 xH2O (426).

 

Abundant resources: The excellent teaching tools page includes teaching strategies, questions to get started, videos, and teacher resources. We'll keep you posted when the webinar series is announced this fall.

 

*Deadline: Friday, April 18th, 2014 at 5pm

  

 

  

 

 

Get an early start on thinking about whether your school could support students in creating a film for the festival next June!

 

For more information:

Patrick.mccartney@tdsb.on.ca

info@planmetinfocus.org  
Short Film Festival Grades K-8: Call for submissions

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Question 4.5; Section 5: Question 5.6

 

Planet in Focus invites students to make short films (max 5 min) on an environmental theme. What are your students doing to help the planet? What EcoSchools activities might they share with the world?

 

Films will be screened at the Art Gallery of Ontario on World Environment Day, June 5th, 2014

 

Genres: PSA, live action, drama, comedy

Deadline: May 2nd, 2014

  

 

 

 

Biomimicry: Butterfly wing design basis for new anti-counterfeiting tool! 

Researchers from Simon Fraser University have figured out how to use the incredibly complex properties of the blue morpho butterfly's wing to guard against counterfeiting!  To read more click here.

 

 

 

Corn mazes!

Here's an unexpected way that farmers "play" with plants! Scroll down to see them all--including a famous children's tank engine.
Envirothon: Take the Biodiversity Challenge 

 

EcoSchools Section 4: Questions 4.2, 4.3, 4.4, 4.5, 4.7; Section 5: Question 5.6

 

Registration is now open for the Ontario Envirothon, an interactive environmental education program (English and French grades 9-12). Regional competitions take place throughout the school year, with the provincial competition in spring. The winning provincial team goes on to compete in the North American Envirothon competition.

 

High school students, competing in groups of 5, learn about forestry, aquatics, soils, wildlife, and local sustainable agriculture. Local conservation organizations partner to provide students with interactive field trips and workshops to help them understand the human impact on nature. Field testing develops critical thinking, problem solving, teamwork, and communication skills. 

 

Registration fee per team: $113 (includes HST) before January 31st and $150 (includes HST) after January 31st.

 

For more details, visit Ontario Envirothon. 

  
 
 
Click here for more details!
Majesta Trees of Knowledge Outdoor Classroom Project contest

 

EcoSchools Section 3: Question 3.4; Section 4: Question 4.6

 

$20,000 prize! Deadline to apply: January 20th, 2014 

With a prize this big, you know there's lots to do! BUT we at the TDSB are in the very happy position of having talented, very experienced school ground design team in Bruce Day and Gail Bornstein who have been working with many of you on your projects, so lots of you are already well on your way!

 

Are you ready to enter? Check out the 'How-to' kit for details and talk with your team and your parents!  

 







Click on the cartoon to enlarge it.

 

  

 

In a nutshell: The
NY Times on the Canadian government silencing scientists
This is more than an attack on academic freedom, it is an attempt to guarantee public ignorance." Strong words.
The UN's latest report on climate change--what a sweet opportunity for critical media literacy!

 

 

Did you notice the flurry of climate-change denier stories that preceded the latest release of the IPCC climate change report? Journalist John Mason notes the huge increase in anti-science commentary that preceded its release. It's a pattern he's seen before. Scroll to the end of his Sept. 26 post on the Skeptical

Science website. He presents commentary from two different writers using almost the same phrases word-for-word.  It demonstrates so clearly how the deniers' camp relies on a bank of climate change myths.  Our school board or a university would call it plagiarism! Mason says the coverage "brought to mind old footage of bomber-planes like B52s in action, engaged in carpet-bombing campaigns, only in this case with randomly-selected anti-climate science myths."

 

The free flow of the latest scientific knowledge is important in understanding the scope of the climate crisis and where the best new possibilities are for intervention to slow human impact.  Our federal government's muzzling of its own scientists is a cause for worry. On September 21st  the New York Times published an editorial echoing the concern that scientific journals, the UK's Guardian, David Suzuki on his blog, and some of our newspapers have been voicing about this practice over the last few years. Of course the government defends its record (it claims that government scientists gave 1800 interviews over the past year...or was it two, or three years? On what topics?). Would assessing this debate be a good student assignment?  A good citizen's assignment?

 

Tell us what you think!

 

The EcoSchools Communication Team 

Eleanor Dudar and Jenn Vetter