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Lake Bonavista Green Team models Reducing Impact on the Earth

imageLake Bonavista School, located in SE Calgary, is home to a model site designed environmental stewardship initiative.  The Green Team is a group of environmentally conscious students and staff, people who aim to reduce the ecological footprint of Lake Bonavista School.

Spearheaded by Jean Weild, Kelly Keiran, Mandi Gibson and Facility Operator, Aurele LaFleur, the Green Team is made up of 35 students  and three teachers who meet once per month to work on a variety of environmental initiatives.  It is noteworthy to point out that Lake Bonavista’s Green Team is a student leadership directed initiative.  Students bring forward ideas for projects which the teachers and facility operator support.

In 2007-08, students were interested in making a difference as it related to water conservation, so they became involved with Ryan’s Well, a non-profit foundation dedicated to bringing clean drinking water to underdeveloped areas of the world.  Student’s were involved  in a fundraising initiative which brought clean drinking water to a community in Africa.

Some of the other fantastic initiatives at the school include:

  1. Walking Wednesdays – a project to encourage children, staff and parents to be active by walking around the playground before school begins
  2. Waste free lunch – an initiative to reduce waste creation at the school
  3. Beverage container recycling
  4. E-Newsletter and event calendars – sent to parents electronically
  5. Printer/Paper conservation – ensuring double sided use of paper; reducing number of copies being made on the photocopier.
  6. Staff meeting minutes – all stored and shared electronically
  7. AISI project – connecting nature with sustainability projects
  8. Recycling ink cartridges
  9. Paper and cardboard recycling
  10. Hosting their own Earth Day celebration event including a recognition ceremony for the Facility Operator’s diligent and hardworking environmental ethic.
  11. Maintaining the beautiful outdoor classroom- a garden that was designed to appeal to all the senses!
  12. The Grade 5/6 class collects empty printer ink cartridges and returns them to Staples for a credit. They then use this money to buy supplies for school use. Last year they raised over $300.00

Congratulations to the staff and students of Lake Bonavista!  The work of the Green Team is helping the CBE to be a model of local and global environmental stewardship.

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Web Administrator: L. Diemert
Last Modified: September 24, 2011