EarthCARE at Riverview Alternate School

April 30, 2006

"Helpy Environment," the junk monster, teaches about waste management at assemblies and congratulates students on their efforts to reduce, reuse and recycle. Saving energy by practicing L.O.C.O. is one of Helpy's important messages. Green Team students stand behind Helpy and speak with a microphone or make tape recordings. The Green Team members hope to make environmental education fun for their peers.

Green Team students made a giant Earth puzzle with used puzzle pieces. Every spring students are awarded badges for consistently bringing an environmentally friendly lunch and their names are written on a puzzle piece. The Earth puzzle is displayed in the main hall.

Riverview's reusable materials are now stored in large bins supplied by the Parent Council. Staff and students are encouraged to donate and use the materials: yarn, carpet samples, milk cartons, plastic containers, plastic bottles, fabric pieces, old socks, used crayons, etc.

Every year Riverview makes a global connection. In January and February we organized and held an environmental bazaar and a read-a-thon to support Help Lesotho. The Green Team, each class, all staff and many parents energetically raised $1650 for a school in this tiny mountainous nation. We are looking forward to our twinning project. Students enjoyed their day buying used books, used toys, jewellery from a tree, healthy treats, environmentally friendly crafts made by their peers and tickets for a gingerbread castle.

We sing our "This School Is Your School" at assemblies while enjoying a PowerPoint presentation of our artwork and photos. "Friends of The Earth", Raffi's "Evergreen Everblue" and Michael Mitchell's, "Little Trees" are other school favourites.