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WH Cushing Workplace School – an EcoSite in Action

Students and teachers at WH Cushing Workplace school participated as a pilot site in EcoSites during the 2008-09 school year. There goal was to become a ‘Green’ EcoSite. There are three levels of becoming an EcoSite – Emerging Green; Green; and Leading Green. To do this Teachers embed environmental learning into their core curriculum, provide opportunities for students to engage with the natural world, and plan and implement a series of environmental action projects aimed at reducing ecological footprint.

Environmental literacy is defined as the capacity to perceive and interpret the health of ecological systems and take appropriate action to maintain, restore, or improve the relative health of those systems. At its core, an understanding of how life works on earth (ecological processes) is a key piece of being an environmentally literate citizen. To help students learn about ecological processes, students at WH Cushing Workplace School investigated food and where food comes from; explored the effects of pesticides on the environment; completed a field trip to the Grain Museum; and participated in SEED monthly environmental writings.

Another key component of environmental literacy is providing opportunities for rich, first-hand contact with the natural world where students can develop a relationship with nature. Literature, such as Richard Louv’s Last Child in the Woods, points to the meaningful springboard for environmental action provided by natural world immersion. WH Cushing students set out to meet this outcome through trips to Fish Creek Park, the Calgary Zoo, and to the natural space close to their school. Students also participated in the Inglewood community garden project, and investigated food and food miles.

Environmental Planning and Action is recognized as a key pillar of environmental literacy. WH Cushing focused on food as the topic of one of their environmental projects. Students learned about bioregional foods, where they could be purchased in their local community, and then informed their parents of what they had learned. Another EcoSite action project was related to waste reduction. Here students organized a waste reduction and diversion campaign for their school that included regular communication with staff and students, an audit of current waste, realistic and measurable targets, composting, and recycling initiatives. Students encouraged the use of reusable cups and water bottles instead of single use beverage containers.

The third environmental action project focused on reducing consumption of paper and electricity at the school. Students created campaign posters to promote responsible use of paper towel in the washrooms, used the ‘Going out Lights out’ posters to encourage shutting off lights when leaving a room and putting computers to sleep mode when they are not in use.

WH Cushing Workplace School was a model ‘Green EcoSite’ during the 2008-09 school year. As part of their curriculum students not only learned about important environmental concepts, but also experienced the natural environment first hand, and planned and implemented several environmental action projects that helped to reduce their school’s ecological footprint. Bravo, WH Cushing Workplace School!

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Last Modified: September 24, 2011