Start planning for two of the most popular educational campaigns in schools: National Sweater Day and Earth Hour.
Build Momentum: Check out @ON_EcoSchools during the lead-up to each campaign for great energy facts to share with your school, EcoTeam, and wider community.
National Sweater Day: February 4, 2016
Did you know that heating accounts for 80% of residential energy use in Canada? Turning down the thermostat by just a few degrees can make a big impact – plus, who doesn’t love donning a wacky sweater? A stat to consider from the World Wildlife Fund: “If all Canadians lowered their thermostats by just 2 degrees Celsius this winter, it would reduce greenhouse gas emissions by about 4 megatons – equivalent to shutting down a 600 megawatt coal-fired power station.” Check out WWF’s blog from last year for ideas on a fun and cozy National Sweater Day.
Earth Hour: March 19, 2016
This year is the tenth anniversary of the global lights-off campaign, which started in Sydney, Australia in 2007. In 2015, 172 countries powered off during Earth Hour: watch a short video of highlights – demonstrating that it is possible to make a visible difference when we all contribute to changing our behaviour.
While the official time for lights out is Saturday March 19 2016 at 8:30pm, schools usually participate on the Friday before (March 18). You can build excitement around Earth Hour well in advance. Check out Ontario EcoSchool’s Earth Hour campaign kit, and Earth Hour activity sheet for ideas on how to host the campaign in your school. As well, campaigns like Take Action encourage individuals or groups to commit to one or more actions to mitigate climate change.
Earth Hour isn’t just about turning off the lights: students can get creative in identifying and sharing actions to live more sustainably. Here is some inspiration from artists in the UK, who added to Earth Hour dialogue by transforming everyday objects into sustainability messages.
To amplify your impact throughout the year, it’s important to continue being more mindful of our energy use. Many schools hold regular ‘Lights Off Lunches’ and monitor classrooms for turning off monitors as a regular part of their EcoSchools program. Here are an additional 10 ways to celebrate Earth Hour daily – recognizing that fighting climate change requires a consistent effort rather than just one big push.
Both of these campaigns can be claimed in the Environmental Stewardship section in your certification application. Please check the criteria carefully to ensure that your campaign qualifies.
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