EcoSchools Section 1, Question 1.6; Section 5, Questions 5.3, 5.5; Section 6 Questions 6.5, 6.6

To raise awareness about climate change, the Toronto District School Board is once again holding its own special Earth Hour on Friday, March 29th, from 2:00-3:00 pm in advance of the annual global Earth Hour. For at least that one hour we challenge all schools and offices to be as electricity-free as they can manage. 

Why bother turning out the lights for an hour? Isn't it just symbolic? Yes...and no. WWF's website puts it best,  "Turning off lights for one hour won't solve climate change. But the strong collective message generated by people around the world turning off their lights together helps WWF create the political space and demand for the large-scale change that will".

The underlying goal remains to raise awareness about the link between climate change and the unthinking use of resources. Have you tried an Earth Hour Electricity Walk? Or check out Ontario EcoSchools' Earth Hour campaign kit for other initiatives you can do in your school and use our Earth Hour checklist as a reminder to save energy and spread awareness!

  

In past years, schools, students and staff have been very creative in finding ways to reduce their use of electricity. Help beat 2017's electricity reduction of 28% during the TDSB Earth Hour! These results can only be achieved when everyone pitches in.

Don't forget to help your community go dark on Saturday, March 30th between 8:30-9:30 pm,  when the rest of the world will be turning off its lights! For more ideas go to the global  and  Canadian Earth Hour websites .

EcoSchools Section 4: Question 4.4; Question Section 6: Question 6.5

On Friday, April 26th at 2:00 p.m. students, staff, and parents from across Toronto are encouraged to help rejuvenate our city's green spaces by picking up litter in their schoolyard, neighbourhood park, or local community. 

Register your school today and celebrate Earth Day by joining over 550 schools who are helping to keep our City clean and green! Y ou'll be amazed at what we can accomplish in as little as 20 minutes!  ( Note:  Schools may opt to do their clean-up event at any time).

Be one of the first 500 schools to register your cleanup event and you'll receive a free school cleanup kit with 50 litter bags, 100 blue recycling bags and a box of gloves. Supplies are limited. Registration closes April 3rd. Learn more at livegreentoronto.ca. 

Questions: Contact Jenn.Vetter@tdsb.on.ca

EcoSchools Section 6: Question 6.5

The City of Toronto and Bag2School are once again asking Toronto schools to consider holding an Earth Month Clothing Drive. Last year, more than 100 schools signed up and diverted over 100,000 pounds of textile waste from landfill.  Bag2School is the official approved vendor for all textiles diversion campaigns at TDSB schools.

How will your school benefit?

In addition to raising students' awareness and helping the environment, participating schools will:

• receive $200/ton from Bag2School for the textiles they collect
• be eligible to win a free water refill station. Prizes will be awarded to the top four schools that collect the most textiles per student (textile weight divided by the number of participating students)

How to participate in the Earth Month Clothing Drive:

1. Sign up at Bag2School . Bag2School will provide free promotional materials and contact you to confirm a pick up date.
2. Promote the drive to your students and families.
3. Bag2School will pick up your textile donation on the arranged pick up date.
4. Bag2School will pay $200 per ton for the total weight of donated textiles.

Why is textile diversion important?

The average Toronto household throws out an estimated 13 kilograms (29 pounds) of unwanted clothing and other textiles every year. The City's Long Term Waste Management Strategy puts a priority on reducing the amount of waste we generate, including textiles. You can help!

For more information about Bag2School please contact Aaron Curran, 416-762-9415, info@bag2schoolfundraising.com.

Please note: due to the high demand for water refill stations, any prior winning school will not be eligible to receive a station in 2019.  Prior winning schools are however encouraged to host a clothing drive at their school to help divert textile waste and receive funds for the textiles they collect.

EcoSchools Section 

5: Questions 5.2, 5.3, 5.4, 5.5, 5.6, and 5.7

Want to expand your knowledge and practice of environmental education? 

The TDSB EcoSchools Program has collaborated with OISE  to offer university certification courses in Environmental Education to Early Childhood Educators, elementary, and secondary teachers. These interdisciplinary AQ courses will take an inquiry-based, experiential approach to explore what it means to learn about, for, and in the environment using both in-class and on-line learning. TDSB staff are eligible to receive a subsidy after completion of each course. 

Environmental education is central to teaching and learning in the 21st century; climate change, resource depletion, and environmental degradation are all pressing contemporary societal issues that require an educational response. This course provides an engaging introduction to teaching and learning in environmental education for both elementary and secondary teachers through a combination of lectures, workshops, outdoor and experiential learning, field trips and guest speakers. It offers maximum flexibility for participants' learning needs through a blended course format (in-class and on-line hours).

Part 1 is being offered at the U of T, OISE campus and taught by instructor Ron Ballentine (Thursdays in class from April 4th - June 20th from 5:15 pm - 9:15 pm and 2 Saturdays - May 4th and June 8th from 8:00am - 1:00 pm, Online learning 44 hours April 4th - June 20th). 

Register with OISE  by March 28th, 2019

Contact Pam.Miller@tdsb.on.ca to ensure a spot on the TDSB subsidy list.

EcoSchools Section 6: Question 6.5

FoodShare, together with LoyaltyOne and special guest, Stephen Ritz of the Green Bronx Machine, invite you to join us for a day of learning, experiencing, networking and ideation. Com e and see why over 200 schools across Canada are raving about the Good Food Machine program , an experiential learning, curriculum-linked food literacy program for teachers of all experience levels and students of all ages.

• Learn about the Good Food Machine program and how it can add invaluable, ongoing, hands-on learning opportunities for you and your students
• Learn how to apply to see if you qualify to receive a FREE Good Food Machine kit for your school
• See, touch and learn about the state-of-the-art hydroponic growing towers schools receive as part of the program
• Experience a selection of hands-on activities, custom-built for elementary-aged students
• Participate in an interactive tutorial from Stephen Ritz for our new, hot-off-the-press Growing & Learning Guide. With hundreds of fully-developed and tested resources teachers can lead fun, curriculum-linked activities all year long with your students.
• Connect and build community with fellow teachers, sharing insights and ideas to support growing and cooking with elementary-aged students