Get set for 2019, EcoTeams! Kick off a brand new year by engaging with our handy tools and resources below. You can claim many of the activities in your certification application – as always, don’t forget to review the 2018-19 Certification Guides for full criteria and to see where the activity fits best.
Winter Campaigns
Plan one of these popular energy conservation campaigns to make the most of these chillier days.
- Get outside! Winter Walk Day takes place on Wednesday, February 6th. This is a great day to plan a Walk/Roll/Ride to school activity and show that sometimes staying warm is as simple as getting moving on the way to and from school!
- Bundle up! National Sweater Day is on Thursday, February 7th. Turn down the heat by a couple of degrees and encourage students to dress up in their most fabulous (or outrageous) sweaters to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Want to go further? Extend this campaign throughout the week, or even month to amplify your impact. If you have custodial staff on your EcoTeam, ask if they can help you track energy savings and share results at an assembly.
#EcoResolutions
A key component of the Ontario EcoSchools program is setting environmental goals throughout the year. The holiday break is a great opportunity to step back and reflect on yourself, your eco values and the positive differences you can effect over the next year. If you’re on Twitter, Facebook, or Instagram, please share your #EcoResolutions with us!
Some great #EcoResolutions we’ve seen include:
- Student pledges using art, where each student makes a resolution on an environmental issue important to them. Showcase these somewhere central and visible! Check-in during Earth Month to see how the pledges have gone.
- Watch your waste: familiarize yourself with your local recycling and waste guidelines. What can be recycled? What can be diverted from landfill to serve another purpose, like building healthy compost from food scraps? What can be reclaimed, like parts from old electronics? Set goals for reducing waste, and challenge yourself, your class and your community to meet them.
- Whole school #2019Goals: if you haven’t already, consider coming together as a school to make a 2019 goal of #ditchtheplastic, walking to school each week, and monthly waste-free & lights-off lunches. Track, record, and share!
Green Holidays Tips
In our last #CertTips, we listed a number of actions, activities and practices you can use to make the holiday season a more sustainable one. These included hosting a lights-out lunch, celebrating local and seasonal food, making sustainable crafts, and more. Read them here and let us know if you have any other great tips we can share.
Please share your December actions with us on Twitter and Instagram @ON_EcoSchools and on Facebook @OntarioEcoSchools. We’d love to hear from you!
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