HomeMy WebLinkAboutLakeshore Advance, 2012-01-18, Page 18R 1
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Wednesday, January 19, 2011 • Lakeshore Advance
Local students reduce carbon footprint by 23 tonnes
Local elementary students reduced
23 tonnes of harmftl greenhouse gases
by planting trees h their schoolyards.
They also turned off lights at home,
walked to school or car-pooled with
other students, and took other positive
actions as part of the (Item Classroom
project in Ausahle Rayfield
watersheds.
Ausahle Rayfield Conservation
Authority (ANCA) presented climate
change school assemblies last autumn
at 23 of the watershed's 24 elementary
schools. Presenters challenged stu-
dents and their families to make sim-
ple changes to their dally routines.
Staff members asked students to mon-
itor one behaviour for two weeks. Posi-
tive behaviours included turning off
lights when not needed, packing litter -
less lurches, walking to school or car-
pooling, or turning off the water tap
when possible.
Students returned their forms to
ARCA for a chance to win a package
full of prizes that are good for the envi-
ronment. Miranda Foran -Costain,
from Stephen Central Public School
near Crediton. took up the challenge
to reduce her carbon footprint. She
won a backpack, a stainless steel re -
useable water bottle, a hand -chargea-
ble flashlight, re -useable produce
bags, and a certificate for a potted Nor-
way spruce tree from ABCA,
The tree is a reminder of one planted
in the Stephen Central schoolyard after
a climate change assembly. One tree
removes one tonne of car-
bon dioxide from the atmos-
phere during its lifetime. 'Ihe
average Canadian puts
about five tonnes of carbon
dioxide into the air every
year. "We are living a five -
tree -per -year lifestyle," said
tenni Roles, Education
Assistant at ARCA, "We need
to plant more trees." Spring
tree order forms are availa-
ble► from the ARCA by visit -
Ing abca,on,ca or phoning
519-235-261(1 or 1-880-206-
2610.
Greenhouse gases like
carbon dioxide add to cli-
mate change. A carbon foot-
print measures how much
greenhouse gas someone
releases into the air from
actions such as driving a car.
The carbon footprint is a
powerful tool to understand
how actions we take each
day can help or hurt the
planet. Making simple
changes to our daily routines
and planting trees can make
a carbon footprint smaller.
The assemblies were trade
possible with funding from
the Community Go Green
Fund. The Ontario Ministry
of the Environment created
the Community Go Green
Fund to educate about cli-
mate change, promote car-
bon -reduced lifestyles, and
to take direct action to
reduce greenhouse gas
emissions. The Go Green
grant also funded five
teacher workshops hosted
by ARCA this past August.
A summary of the Green
Classroom Teacher Work-
shops and school assemblies
and links to lesson plans anti
educational resources are
found on the ARCA website
at abca,on,ca/education.
php.
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It was brisk trail walking for the hardier outdoorsy members of the Friends of the Pi yy Walking Club, Others took advantage of
the likewise free indoor strolls through the Lambton County Museum catered by Cindy fleldI Health Remota( from the firand
Bend Community Health Centre. For more information call Maxfield at 519-238-1556.
58 Ontario St., N.
Grand Bend
(519) 238-5383