World is in Their Hands

Wed, April 23, 2008
By AEDAN HELMER, SUN MEDIA, www.ottawasun.com

Students Get Education in Environment

*Photograph property of Sun Media and not for commercial reproduction.

When going green, it only makes sense to start at the grassroots.

The next generation of green thumbs is learning about environmental stewardship from the ones they connect with most -- not their teachers, politicians or celebrities, but their peers.

Almost every school in the Ottawa-Carleton District School Board now boasts an EarthCARE team led by student volunteers, tackling projects that range from tree planting to recycling, to water and energy conservation.

Students lead the charge in almost every project, with teachers offering their time in an advisory capacity.

LEADING BY EXAMPLE

"If you give students ownership of the project, they'll take off with it so much better than if you try to mandate the rules yourself," said Rueben Cooke, a Colonel By math teacher who supervises the school's EarthCARE team. "And I think our students are learning the value of leading by example."

In many schools, the three "Rs" of old -- reading, writing and arithmetic -- have been supplanted by the new mantra of reduce, reuse, recycle..

Students revel in the empowerment that comes with membership in the EarthCARE team. Roaming hallways and classrooms tracking down environmental offenders, students hand out failing report cards to teachers who leave lights and computers on after hours, or to those caught with "contaminated" recycling bins.

"We always have that notion of superiority or authority with teachers, but when we're talking about the environment we're dealing on an equal level where we have to feed back on each other," said Tanya Tran, Col. By's EarthCARE team leader. "Everyone's involvement is equal whether it be students or teachers."

Colonel By's team, nicknamed FROGG, or Friends Reaching Out for Greener Growth, is just one of dozens of teams in elementary and secondary schools across the board that will celebrate Earth Week with a variety of activities.

"It's been proven year after year that students are great ambassadors for environmental stewardship," said Rose-Marie Batley, executive director of EarthCARE Canada.

ENERGY SAVINGS

The program was developed a decade ago by Ameresco Canada, a leading facilities renewal group, through their Better Schools Partnership.

"We were trying to become more attuned to what makes a better learning environment," said Dave Seymour, Ameresco Canada vice-president, eastern region. "There are technical improvements, but we also try to address the behavioural concerns."

The program is funded by the school board, but the investment is offset largely through energy bill savings.

In five years, the LOCO (lights off, computers off) program has boasted more than $5 million in energy savings for the board.

But the best part, said Batley, is that the students bring their environmental activism home to effect change in the household and community.

"It starts with a lot of little things," said Batley. "But when you're talking about 70,000 students it can become very significant.".