Students and teachers in the Maple Ridge – Pitt Meadows School District found new ways to reduce their environmental footprint as part of the Go Green Together Campaign.
Alexandra Tudose, the district’s manager of energy and environmental sustainability, said for the month of April students reduced packaging in their lunches, found alternative ways of commuting, and shut off unnecessary lighting to conserve energy.
“It encouraged staff and students to think a little bit differently about their actions, whether it is waste, or the way they use energy in the buildings, or the way they commute to school,” she said. “The purpose of the campaign was to become a little bit more sustainable as a school district.”
Tudose added that she hoped new habits were forged during the campaign that will carry over to the rest of the school year.
Students at Eric Langton Elementary, one of the nine schools that participated, focused on finding energy-efficient ways of get to and from school every day.
“We put posters around the school and we encouraged everyone to walk, bike, scooter, or take transit to school,” said Zarina Ahmedjonova, a Grade 7 student, who with Zayda Tahid and Jasmin Biln promoted the campaign at ELE.
“A lot of the primary classes especially were really enthusiastic,” said Tahid. “They were trying their best to come to school in a different way other than just cars.”
Tudose noted that the small initiatives can go a long way toward reducing the school district’s carbon footprint.
“They can even take it home and show their parents and their neighbours how we can all be a little more sustainable,” she said.