January 2022 Newsletter

Year of the Tiger!

We acknowledge that we are hosted on the lands of the Mississaugas of the Anishinaabe, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy, and the Wendat. We also recognize the enduring presence of all First Nations, Métis & Inuit peoples.

Welcome to the January 2022 issue of the TDSB EcoSchools newsletter!

Inside you will find valuable information on...

Youth Climate Action Guide Launch (again!)

Project 2050 Winter Action Cards

National Climate Change & Education Survey

The League for Green Leaders

Green Teacher Subscription

Stay connected with us via Twitter (@EcoSchoolsTDSB) and Instagram (@TDSBEcoSchools) to keep up to date with our upcoming webinars!

Youth Action Climate Guide

**Long Awaited Youth Climate Action Guide Release Date**

Thursday January 13th, 4-5pm EST

* The original Dec. 8 date for this event has been rescheduled *

How can educators make space for and support youth-led climate inquiry and action that is responsive and sensitive to community needs? What meaningful educational approaches will bolster student agency and empowerment so that students feel they don’t need to strike from school in order to address climate change?

In this webinar, members of the TDSB’s EcoSchools team will explore how educators can use the TDSB’s new Youth Climate Action Guide to support students in becoming actively involved in taking equitable climate action that will help slow down climate change and contribute towards achieving the TransformTO targets.

The new YCAG web site is now live! Check it out before the webinar.

Registration is required.

After registering, you will receive a confirmation email containing information about joining the meeting.

Project 2050

EcoSchools Canada Actions for Winter

In collaboration with Earth Rangers, EcoSchools Canada has launched Project 2050, an easy and fun way for youth and their families to contribute to the fight against climate change by adopting small but impactful climate-friendly habits.

EcoSchools Canada has selected 10 specific Actions for Project 2050, and schools that complete at least 3 of the 10 will earn the Project 2050 achievement badge. For January, we have selected the following Actions you could complete:

Active and Sustainable School Travel (ASST)

Switch Off Lights and Devices

Heating and Cooling

You don't have to do all 3 in January, but pick one that suits your school or class. Another opportunity for ASST points is Winter Walk Day on February 2nd.

National Climate Change & Education Survey

Calling all educators, parents, students and members of the general public: LSF needs to hear your voice on the importance of climate change education in Canada!

We have launched a nationwide survey to assess Canadians’ perceptions and understanding of Climate Change, and how the education system should respond.

The League for Green Leaders - Part 2

The League for Green Leaders program is the world's first fun elementary student online competition on climate action.

202 children saved 15 tonnes of CO2 in the pilot of League for Green Leaders, which is equivalent to CO2 removed by a 18 acres of forest in a year.

Eight TDSB classes participated in the last round, and here is what students said:

What have you learned from this League competition?

I have learned many things but some were to recycle more and plant some trees from time to time and eat better too!
I learned that we need to use fewer things and and to take care of the plants and animals.
I have learned that there are many ways to save CO₂ and we can make A BIG DIFFERENCE.

Will you continue to save CO₂ after the competition? Why do you want to do that or not to do that?

I will because saving CO₂ is very important for the environment.
Yes. I will continue to save CO₂ because I like helping the animals people and the environment that we are in and the land that we are on.
I will continue to save CO₂ after the competition because I know how important it is to stop climate change and keep the planet and life safe.

The teachers also had overwhelming positive comments:

What is the value of the League program for you?

I am happy to see programs like these that tie all of the curriculum areas together to engage our students while helping to take climate action.
It builds team spirit amongst groups and the class.
I liked the fact that it talked about climate change, ecosystems and relevant topics like CO2 trapping, and had some hands on activities too.

Registration for teachers and their students is free. The second League competition will begin on February 3rd, 2022, and registration is now open. TDSB has assessed the cyber security risk of this learning resource as low.

Those participating in the EcoSchools Canada program can submit your group's participation and actions using the Create Your Own Action Card.

Green Teacher Subscription

The quarterly Green Teacher magazine offers perspectives on the role of education in creating a sustainable future, practical articles, and ready-to-use activities for various age levels, as well as reviews of dozens of new educational resources.

Visit their web site and log-in with

username: TDSBEcoSchools
password: GTAccessTDSB

Additional Dates in January

National Bird Day (January 5)
International Day of Education (January 24)

Visit our website: https://ecoschools.tdsb.on.ca/

Follow TDSB EcoSchools on Twitter and Instagram:

Be sure to tag @EcoSchoolsTDSB on Twitter with your environmental projects and outdoor activities to be featured in next month's newsletter.