With initial EcoReviews now behind you, it’s time to turn your sights ahead to the month of March and all the opportunities for campaigns and whole-school green initiatives therein. You can claim many of these activities in your certification application – don’t forget to review the 2018-19 Certification Guides for full criteria and to see where the activity fits best.
March is Nutrition Month
The Dietitians of Canada designate March as Nutrition Month, encouraging Canadians to unlock the potential of their food through better understanding its nutritional, emotional and community value.
- The Nutrition Month website has a number of factsheets, resources, shareable social media posts, and recipes that can be incorporated into classroom lessons and discussions.
- The new 2019 Canada Food Guide were announced by the federal government in late January and can be found online.
- FoodShare’s Great Big Crunch initiative is taking place on March 28, 2019. Register your school or organization to participate and celebrate healthy, local food.
- Tap into our Local Food & Awareness kit for running food-related campaigns in your school. These can be claimed in the Environmental Stewardship section – see the Certification Guide for full details.
International Day of Forests: March 21
March 21 is the the day marked annually by the United Nations to focus on the importance of forests all around the world. Forests provide crucial habitats, resources, and roles in climate management, and the global deforestation is one of the most pressing environmental issues of today.
- The UN FAO website has loads of resources for learning about forest health and management, as well as contests for both teachers and students to participate in this year.
- Make use of and adapt our lesson plans on habitat management, nature walks and scavenger hunts, and learning to identify leaves using field journals.
World Water Day: March 22
World Water Day is an internationally-recognized event held annually that celebrates the importance of water in the Earth’s biosphere and our daily lives. 2019’s theme is “water for all” and emphasizes the challenges certain communities face with access to clean water.
- WorldWaterDay.org hosts a number of fantastic learning materials, stories, and a resource library of water-related content.
- Weave our World Water Day lesson plan into your classroom, and our Water Awareness and Action campaign kit ideas throughout your school to learn about and improve upon your own water management.
Earth Hour: March 30
Raise awareness about energy consumption and participate in Earth Hour! Given the general 2019 date is set for Saturday, March 30, you can opt to hold an Earth Hour/power hour event at your school on a weekday around the same time.
- Check out WWF-Canada’s website, the organizers of Earth Hour in Canada, and take to social media with #Connect2Earth to voice your participation.
- Host a LOL, or Lights Off Lunch, to raise awareness about energy consumption at your school. Better yet, make it a recurring event weekly or monthly.
- Explore our plethora of energy conservation resources and our Earth Hour campaign kit for designing and running an energy conservation campaign at your school.
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