Teaching Care and Respect for the Environment

In School District 72, we realize that what happens in our classrooms each day shapes future generations. That's why environmental stewardship is an important theme in all of our schools and, as an organization, we're working to teach by example.

Within the district, Sandowne Elementary is leading the environmental charge, becoming Campbell River's first certified Green School in 2008. The school had to commit to completing over 100 environmental projects, of their own choosing, to earn the Green School certification in the 2007/08 school year.

Here you will find examples of some of the environmental sustainability practices employed throughout the district.

Preventing and Managing Waste

• Since 2005, employee newsletters from the School Board office have been published electronically on the district's website and distributed through email rather than in printed form.
• The district is adopting an electronic docu-share system through Xerox which allows employees to electronically store and retrieve information instead of printing.
• Where classes can, items such as cans, egg cartons, cereal boxes, hot lunch containers, toilet paper and paper towel rolls, and even CDs are re-used for math, science and art projects.
• Several classes and schools are encouraging garbage-free recess snacks and lunches.
• More schools are starting to recycle ink and toner cartidges and batteries.
• Every classroom at Oyster River Elementary and Sandowne Elementary has a composting bucket for students to dispose of organic waste from their lunches and snacks. Students take the contents of their composting bucket out to a larger composting bin at the back of the school once a week. The dirt generated is then used to plant trees and plants on the school's property.
• All district schools and offices recycle paper and cardboard regularly. In addition, most schools use the proceeds from recycling juice boxes, plastic drink containers and cans to support local and global charities.
• Many schools participate in annual beach, neighbourhood and road-side clean-up efforts.
• In the summer of 2007, 50 full pallets of computers, printers, monitors, accessories and electronics were recycled at Campbell River's Encorp facility and saved from landfill.
• Plastic grocery bags are re-used for taking home library books.
• Many teachers are returning to the use of overhead transparencies instead of running off paper copies or using both sides of a sheet of paper when lessons must be photocopied.
• Many teachers are also encouraging plastic recycling at home, having students take plastic yogurt containers home to wash and recycle.
• The district's adoption of the GroupWise email program has enabled more digital communications, reducing paper consumption.
• Xerox copiers and printers in all schools and offices allow feature a scan to email function, further reducing paper consumption and providing low cost per page printing compared to smaller laser and ink jet printers, which are far less efficient.
• Library book discards are labeled with Community Literacy Project stickers and donated to other organizations.
• Fruit and vegetable scraps are composted in foods classes.

Managing Electricity

• At 6:00 p.m. on every weekday all school district computers are set to automatically shutdown to reduce electricity consumption.
• Penfield and Pinecrest Elementary students have gotten into the habit of turning of classroom lights when they exit and the gymnasium lights are also turned off between classes.
• Classrooms are kept at a reasonable temperature with thermostats being turned down as needed.
• From 2007 to 2008, 418 computer monitors throughout the district were replaced with lower power LCD monitors. From 2008 to 2009 another 109 monitors will be replaced.
• Elementary computer labs have 'diskless' computers (without hard drives) which reduces power consumption.
• The school board office had a lighting and heating retrofit that allows for office lights to be controlled by motion sensors. When the offices are vacant for a period of time the lights are automatically turned off. Also all lighting and heating at Timberline Secondary School is on occupancy timers.
• By using virtualization technology, the school district's information technology department has been able to reduce the number of physical servers in their data centre from 16 down to two. This has reduced power consumption and air conditioning requirements.
• Starting in 2008, all district computers are being set to go to screen saver mode when idle, and set to a full shutdown schedule to turn off and save power when they're not in use.
• Timberline's foods classes apply conscious use and conservation of hot water as part of their food preparation lessons.

Adopting Sustainable Building Principles

• When Ripple Rock Elementary School was built the district followed sustainable design principles in the building's construction. The school features second-growth wood, which was locally milled; north-facing windows in the classrooms and along the top of the two-storey central corridor to reduce the need for artificial lighting; energy-efficient light bulbs; low-flow fixtures; low-VOC materials; and a ventilation system designed on air-displacement principles to function like a large slow-turning fan, requiring less energy.
• The school district's custodial department have adopted a "cleaning for health" process, which has the department using green seal, environmentally-friendly products.
• The district's maintenance department have also gone more environmentally-friendly opting for no odour, longer durability paints. Paint colours are also being chosen to maximize the light that they reflect, enabling less reliance on electrical lighting.
• During the winter months, less salt is being put down on walkways and parking lots. Instead a mixture with a higher sand concentration is being used. Although it requires more clean-up in the spring, the new mixture is less harmful to the environment.
• The heating and ventilation department adhere to a regular filter changing program in all district buildings. In addition to improving the function of this equipment it improves the indoor air quality.

Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions

• By using a central help desk, the information technology department can provide remote support for any computer in the district, reducing vehicle travel between schools and offices.
• Several schools have school gardens or plant trees in annually in recognition of Earth Day. At Discovery Passage Elementary, every student and adult at the school is given a tree to take home and plant as part of their Earth Day celebrations.
• Many district staff members choose to bike to work taking advantage of the physical benefits that can go along with this environmentally conscious decision.