On April 22, schools celebrated Earth Day – an opportunity to learn about the steps we can all take to encourage social responsibility in our district and beyond. On Earth Day and every day, students and staff are taking steps to grow our sustainability and minimize our impact on the environment. These actions are adding up to a big impact across the District:
- Over the last 3 years, we’ve planted around 200 trees on school grounds and 1,000+ trees at our Outdoor Education Centres.
- Our Outdoor Education Centres are used by 22,000 students each year and offer numerous programs including Forest School.
- Many schools have indoor and outdoor vegetable gardens where students learn about sustainability and food security.
- We’re reducing our energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions through LED lighting retrofits, rooftop Solar Photovoltaic installations, and heat pump technology!
Students are collaborating to raise awareness and take action for the environment. At Severn Avenue Public School, the Eco League club worked together on a poem, expressing their vision for a school where everyone protects and respects the environment. They created a video to share their message and inspire their peers to make a difference for the planet. The project was completed as part of their work towards becoming certified by EcoSchools Canada.
Meanwhile, some schools have installed wild bee nesting boxes to support research on Ottawa’s solitary bees. This spring, bee boxes were installed in safe locations at the OCDSB Outdoor Education Centres and 20 schools across the District. Their unique design invites non-aggressive, solitary bees to use the nesting boxes as their homes for the season.
Each nesting block is complete with a viewing slide, allowing students to see the eggs and larvae without disturbing them. Students will be collecting data to share with the University of Ottawa, as part of a major study measuring population dynamics of these vastly underreported species.
These projects are just a few of the actions that schools are taking to cultivate social responsibility and work together for a greener future.