Canadian schools are set on instilling students with a green philosophy

As schools begin to recognize the importance of teaching children about respect for the environment, several creative programs have been developed across the country. Each one attempts to integrate sustainability into school practices and provide students with the opportunity to practice what they learn and understand how their actions can affect their world.

Ontario’s Eco-Schools program goes beyond the classroom to involve students in how their schools actually function. Working with custodial staff and teachers, the Eco-Schools certification program focuses on waste minimization, energy conservation, school ground greening and ecological literacy. Eco-Schools are encouraged to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, co-ordinate the curriculum with school operations, and find innovative ways to conserve resources and reduce their impact on the environment.

The five-step process to become an Eco-School includes establishing an Eco-Team, conducting an Eco-Review that identifies best practices and areas for improvement, developing an action plan, implementing the plan and then monitoring and evaluating the results. Much like the LEED certification for building, schools are certified based on their performance at bronze, silver and gold levels. With a focus on continuous improvement, schools are required to re-certify every year. Over the past seven years, approximately 18% of Ontario's publicly funded schools have taken on these credentials.

Quebec’s Bruntland Green Establishment (BGE) has a slightly different focus. Established through a network of some one hundred local Centrale des syndicats du Québec (CSQ) organizers (Quebec teacher’s unions) in 1993, the BGE implements actions that support global sustainability. Named after Gro Harlem Bruntland, author of Our Common Future, the BGE’s themes include democracy, sharing, cooperation, equity, solidarity, respect, peace and human rights.

Schools that participate in the BGE program are required to take on an environmental project, raise funds for an international aid project and also help to address local poverty issues.

“For example, one school collected bread bags, cleaned them out and then used them to wrap sandwiches that were distributed to the homeless in their community,” said Tim Grant, former teacher and co-editor of Green Teacher Magazine. The magazine has consistently been a source of information for teachers and youth educators across Canada and other countries for almost 20 years.

Grant says that thanks to strong backing by the teacher’s union, at least one third of Quebec’s 3,700 schools are involved in the BGE.

British Columbia’s Green Schools network runs directly through the province’s Ministry of Education. Working with BC’s Climate Action Secretariat, the Green School network focuses on environmental sustainability through four themes: supporting students, supporting teachers, developing school communities and enhancing school infrastructure and transportation systems.

Manitoba’s Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) focuses on systemic change. Established more than two decades ago, the program brings together teachers, administrators and curriculum coordinators to make school districts more sustainable.

“Environmental education will eventually become systemic and not an add-on to existing curriculums,” said Grant.

“When that happens, kids entering schools will have an opportunity to learn about natural systems which will equip them with the caring and capacity to tackle complex environmental issues,” he said.

“Only then will we have an engaged citizenry.”

By Suzanne Elston