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Such are the concerns of the Environment and Resource Management class at Saugeen District Secondary School (SDSS), which seeks to address the sustainability issues that have resulted from this growth and will continue to, especially, as the world is beset by other equally grave concerns. 

As a class, the students desire to pursue, with hope and action, an environmentally sustainable planet that nurtures and inspires not only students at SDSS, but students across the board, to become stewards of the Earth.  Now, more than ever, is the time to be innovative and achieve something that is important for all people - students, our community, our world.

The students of Nancie Darlington-Smith's grade 12 Environment and Resource Management class are striving to achieve a level of innovation that will change the world of SDSS. 

Building on the comprehensive reports of the students in the previous year's class (which involved the research of sustainable technologies and approaches, considering the advantages, disadvantages, costs and savings, and making formal presentations regarding their findings), this year's class has selected projects from those conclusions to implement within the school, working closely with the Technology and Construction classes. 

The Geography students formed into four different groups – Energy Conservation, Greening, Water Conservation & ‘Environmental Everything’ - in order to turn last year's research into this year's reality.  

The goal of the Energy group, consisting of Jasmine Baumann, Laura Beaton-Williamson, Kathryn Kerker, and Eryn Warner, was to have 12-15 motion sensor lights installed in rooms within the school by the end of June 2012, eliminating lights being left on and consuming energy when spaces are vacant. 

While the group identified several spaces where lights are routinely left on, Al Gibb, Plant Manager suggested that they target the 10’ x 10’ rooms as they are suitable to the light switch identified.  Some of the places the lights will be installed include the custodial rooms and Guidance offices, and it is estimated that over a period of ten years, the school will save fifteen hundred dollars in energy expenses for these 10 x 10’ rooms.  

Mr. Gibb generously identified, in the areas previously retrofitted, larger spaces that will have central motion sensors installed by the Bluewater District School Board (BWDSB).  As the retrofit continues, motion sensor lighting will be in installed throughout the building.  

The group successfully applied for the Metro Green Apple Grant in October and received $1000, which will cover the expenses required for the payment and installation of the lights in the smaller rooms.

With any project, despite major successes, come challenges.  As Kathryn Kerker shares,  “One of the biggest challenges with this project, like many, was communication.  Once the group agreed on a plan, it was difficult to get everyone on the same page.  We all had different ideas.  We had spent a lot of time calculating the benefits of installing motion sensor lighting in the washrooms, only to find out that it was a safety issue.  However, once we began actively communicating with Mr. Gibb from the school board, everything fell into place.  It just proves how important communication is with any major actions."

The School Ground Greening Group, consisting of Aimee Bertin, Autumn Cameron, Breton Devison, and Kate Little, is pursuing various ways of greening the inside of SDSS.  Their main project, which has received much community support, is the installation of a living wall at the back entrance of the school.  The living wall, to be ordered from Woolly Pocket Garden, includes a drip irrigation system, water trough and grow lights.  The living wall will provide aesthetic beauty for SDSS along with cleaner air, and serve as a centerpiece for members of the community to admire when they visit.  The group plans to have installed the living wall by the end of August 2012. 

Aimee Bertin claims that this is the project she is most excited to see implemented,  “Though the students in this class have been working on a variety of projects, I am most excited about the upcoming living wall.  Along with improving air quality, the added greenery in the school hallway brings a touch of nature into the building. Hopefully, this new and innovative design will inspire the students of SDSS to take action and engage in further community greening projects.  It’ll be so great to see the final product right in front of our eyes.”

Along with the living wall, the School Ground Greening group, as part of their educational component, plans to distribute wildflower plantable bookmarks to the students and staff of S.D.S.S. by mid-April 2012.  The bookmarks, sourced from Botanical Paperworks in Manitoba, are made from post-consumer waste and embedded with wildflower seeds.  When planted, these bookmarks will recycle themselves into wildflowers – a perfect addition to any garden.  These bookmarks will encourage the students to engage in outdoor activities promoting sustainability, which in this case is planting flowers.  

The greening group has applied to the TD Friends of the Environment Funding, the Do Something Club Grant, and the Do Something Seed Grant, and would like to acknowledge the generous support of the Southampton Rotary Club, Jenny Amy, Nuclear Waste Management, a birthday donations for English teacher Ms. Boyd, along with a 50/50 draw which took place in December 2011, for funds raised to put towards these projects.  Any additional funds received will be used for putting plants in various classrooms within the school.

Luke Maybury and Richelle Ritchie of the Water Conservation group have been working hard towards achieving their goal of installing two Elkay hydration stations – water bottle re-fillers – in S.D.S.S. by the end of June 2012.  One will be located near the gymnasium while the other would be situated near the rear entrance – areas frequented by students and community members alike.  

The hydration stations will decrease the need for students to purchase a recyclable water bottle, thus saving resources and money.  The unique component regarding these hydration stations is that every time a water bottle is re-filled, the counter on the machine increases by one, showing how many recyclable water bottles the students and staff have saved by just re-filling a reusable one.  

Having received funding from NWMO and the 50/50 raffle, the group is eagerly awaiting responses to their grant applications to both Bruce Power and Sobey's Earth Day Canada Community Environment Fund.  

The ‘Environmental Everything’ group, led by Brooke Bingham, Emily Ross and Kenny Wells is aiming to remove a row of vacant lockers from the school and replace them with an educational wall, demonstrating ecological and social responsibility, that will be split into sections and showcase educational components from each of the previously discussed groups, as well as some other groups at SDSS, such as the Student Administrative Council, the Planeteers, Me to We and the Energy Specialist program.  The Art Club will also have the opportunity to paint a mural in a space in the wall.  

A green  'living wall'

This wall will contain some unique materials in its construction such as the inclusion of a recycled tire bulletin board and environmentally-friendly paint.  Brooke has worked closely with Mr. Laflamme in the Construction and Technology department to design the wall, and has had input from Mr. Gibb as well.  The group’s aim is for the Tech class to remove the lockers over the March Break and have the construction class prepare the site for the installation of their constructed display case.  

This particular project has seen many expensive modifications due to safety and fire regulations, but those involved are persevering!  The group has applied for the TD Friends of the Environment Funding with the School Ground Greening Group, and has currently received funding from NWMO, SDSS Student Activity Council and the 50/50 draw.  In addition, the group will be presenting their plans to the Port Elgin Rotary Club in early February.

In November, the ‘Environmental Everything’ group approached the Town of Saugeen Shores who generously donated a Green Cone to the group.  Staff and students have eagerly adopted measures to compost. 

Despite the semester coming to an end, and the goal of having the projects realized by the start of the 2012-13 school year, Luke Maybury says that this is far from the end of sustainable action. “I believe that these projects will provide a solid foundation for many future projects.  We already have the work on the portable, implementing wind and solar, however, our projects are within the school and will be part of the collective psyche of our school community.  The amount of innovation that went into these projects will no doubt lead to further action in and beyond the community.”

Due to the rising need for more sustainable practices, the initiatives being made locally to solving these problems are important.  We have a collective responsibility to take care of the Earth, not only for ourselves, but for future generations.  The transformation to more sustainable ways of living must be a collective goal in order to be successful.  “The journey is worth taking:  the destination at the end of it is a world worth building, a future worth dreaming of, a place of hope.”  

  Autumn Cameron says she is most excited “to be able to point at those projects someday, and say, ‘I did that.  That was me.’”  It starts small.  Who knows, really – perhaps years down the road our generation will be pointing out the changes made worldwide for a sustainable future, and saying, “That was me.”  It starts with you.

  You are encouraged to visit S.D.S.S. next fall and have a look at the changes.  In the meantime, all suggestions, support, and/or donations are much appreciated.

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Wednesday, January 25, 2012