April 22nd is Earth Day. Did you know that this day is marked by more than a billion people a year? Each year, Earth Day has a central theme, signifying a new focus on a particular environmental concern. This year’s theme, 'Invest in Our Planet’, is designed to persuade businesses, governments and citizens around the world of the need to invest in our planet to improve our environment and give our descendants a better and safer future.
Each day, our students and staff members are taking steps to minimize our impact on the environment, whether it’s through school recycling programs, activities like the School Earth Hour Challenge, gardening initiatives, or other exciting and creative projects. Here are a few highlights that show how students and staff are making a difference:
- Since 2021, the OCDSB has installed outdoor classrooms at 2 schools and currently has 4 more pending.
- More than 70 new trees have been planted on school grounds.
- 8 new schools have enrolled in ONFE's Indoor Garden Tower program, for a total of 28 schools involved in the program.
- 12 schools have installed new outdoor garden beds, for a total of 70 schools.
- …and more!
Also, from 2013 to 2019, OCDSB was able to achieve a 19.1% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and expects to achieve 2-3% reductions in GHG emissions each year going forward as a result of improved energy management and GHG reduction measures.
Environmental sustainability is a key focus for our facilities, and is a top consideration when renovating or building new schools or other sites. The OCDSB continues to invest in building upgrades and new constructions that minimize energy usage and increase conservation, such as:
- Planning for the installation of solar cell net metering systems at 15 of our sites. This will allow each building to use electricity generated from building-mounted solar panels;
- Replacing windows and roofs to reduce heating demand in our buildings;
- Investing in systems that allow us to schedule heating and ventilation to operate at lower set points while buildings are not in use;
- Investing in higher efficiency equipment when building or replacing lighting, heating, and ventilation systems;
- Working to transition from gas to electricity as an energy source in buildings…and more.
Check out our Facilities Renewal Program and School Condition Improvement 2022-2023 Project Plan for more details.
Learn more about Earth Day and how you can take part!