Energy Minister and Sudbury MPP Glenn Thibeault visited MacLeod Public School on Wednesday to highlight the ways students conserve energy, raise awareness about the importance of conservation and reduce their school’s environmental footprint.
MacLeod joined Ontario EcoSchools last fall. It's an education and certification program that helps schools develop ecological literacy and practices to become environmentally responsible citizens.
The school’s EcoTeam includes 15 students from Grades 4-6. They have encouraged energy conservation and participated in numerous environmental initiatives, such as Lights Out Canada, an annual event during which schools turn off their lights and encourage the community to do the same at home.
“I’m thrilled to learn about students here in Sudbury promoting conservation and energy literacy,” Thibeault is quoted as saying in a news release. “Through Ontario EcoSchools, we are raising today’s students to be tomorrow’s conservation and environmental leaders.”
The team has also taken part in Turn Down the Heat/Turn Up the Fun, an event aimed at raising awareness about renewable energy and energy consumption in schools.
Conservation is the cleanest and least costly energy resource, and offers consumers a means to reduce their electricity bills, the release said.
"MacLeod Public School is proud to be Rainbow District School Board's third green school,” Lynn MacDonell, principal of MacLeod Public School, is quoted as saying. “Since the launch of our new school in 2014, we have worked diligently to make sustainability part of our everyday lives.
“Our EcoTeam, the Earth Guardians, provide the student leadership. The entire school has embraced sustainability through conservation and education."
Ontario EcoSchools program:
- The province’s investment of $1.4 million in the Ontario EcoSchools program is supporting initiatives to educate students on ways to conserve energy and help fight climate change.
- In 2015-16, Ontario EcoSchools certified 1,720 schools in 55 school boards across the province. The program supports close to 50,000 student EcoTeam leaders to take action and learn about the environment.
- Based on a 2016 Sustainable Schools report, seven of the Top 10 Energy Performing School Boards in Ontario participate in the Ontario EcoSchools program and many of them have cited the program as a key strategy for continued engagement of staff and students in energy conservation practices.
- School boards access the EcoSchools program free of charge. Ontario EcoSchools operates with support from the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Energy and is administered by York University.
- According to the Independent Electricity System Operator (IESO), for every dollar invested in energy efficiency programs, Ontarians save $2.
