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Green is Grand

Caption: The Grand River, one of the area's natural assets, flows through the Grand Erie region

It’s April, and spring has sprung in Grand Erie.

It’s a fitting time to shift the focus to the environment, and celebrate all that our school communities are doing to promote waste reduction, energy and water conservation, and environmental literacy and stewardship.

Environment also happens to be one focus of Grand Erie's Multi-Year Plan, and refers to how we develop and use school spaces, and how we steward conservation and appreciation of the natural and built settings around us.

Participation in Ontario EcoSchools is one way Grand Erie is striving toward these goals. The certification program nurtures the next generation of environmental leaders, reducing the ecological impact of schools, and building environmentally responsible school communities. With several schools in Grand Erie already certified, and new ones committing each year, EcoSchools is a great way to support students, teachers, staff, and community members striving to lessen their impact on the earth. By creating EcoTeams, each can work together to keep our natural settings healthy and our built environments effective at reducing our footprints.

To kick-start Earth Week, Grand Erie is hosting its yearly Eco Conference on Wednesday, April 12th at Camp Trillium in Waterford. This year, elementary students from across the region will be participating in a day of environmental learning, engagement, and action.

On Monday, April 24th, Princess Elizabeth Public School will receive this year’s School Ground Greening Grant from the Brantford/Brant Earth Week Event Committee. This is the tenth year that the Earth Week Event Committee has undertaken a School Ground Greening project.

Many schools are marking Earth Week with events and initiatives. Follow along on social media to see the latest.

An eco-friendly community starts with you. You can do your part with the following measures:

  • Reduce, reuse, recycle, and compost
  • Start a waste-free lunch program
  • Plant trees, or plan a garden of native plants that attract bees and butterflies
  • Save energy by turning off lights, computer monitors, and other electrical appliances when not in use
  • Make the switch to more efficient light bulbs
  • Plan a group activity to get outside and pick up trash.
  • Organize your own Earth Week activity

There’s also a lot to see this month, and to celebrate the beauty of April and all of our school communities’ Earth-friendly initiatives, Grand Erie’s Instagram account is going green. Explore the hashtag #EcoGEDSB, or use the tag to showcase your own projects and endeavours.

Stay connected this month by following the earth-friendly action, and look for more on the Eco Conference, EcoSchools, and other happenings in Grand Erie:

Instagram: @GrandErieDSB

Facebook: @GEDSB

Twitter: @GEDSB