Local students learn ecological lessons AS PROMISED one week ago, much of today’s column will be devoted to looking at what some of our 'ocal schools have been doing to help clean up the Earth. And although a few readers have written in complaining that students should start by cleaning up the litter in their own schoolgrounds (are you Hstening, kids?), the success stories that I've heard have more than convinced me that there’s a lot going on out there to celebrate. Sherwood Park Elementary, for example, has just wrapped up its garbage-free Thermos Week, which was a brainstorm of Vicki Walter’s Grade 7 class. For one week, ail students in the school were asked to bring their lunch in reusable containers — hold the waxed paper or plastic wrap. The Grade 7 students cir- culated throughout the school at lunchtime, counting each container that was used. One point was awarded for each one, and was considered to represent one piece of garbage saved. At the end of the week, 7,000 — count 'em — points had been racked up, and the caretaker reported that the garbage had been cut down by at least a half. “The kids really enjoyed it,’ Walters said after the week had wrapped up. ‘‘I do think it will continue.” The theme of the week was “‘Have a Heart,’’ and the students also boosted their environmental awareness with hallway displays and discussions. Students in many of the classes have made their own four-sided reusable fabric lun- chbags with their name puff- painted on the side, ‘The proud kids, teachers and parents of Sherwood Park are now issuing a challenge to other local elementary schools: Can you beat 7.900 “Thermos”’ points in one week? For information on taking up the challenge, call Vicki Walters at 929-5496. se & Another ‘‘hot-off-the-wire’’ success story came in from Bren- dan Baker of Ross Road School. His well-written letter says it all: “My Grade 4 to 5 class from Ross Road had a penny drive to help save the Amazon rainforest. It was a week long. Our goal was $250 but we raised $1,082.14. We plan to give $500 to the Amazon and $125 each to four wildlife reserves in Mexico and Guatemala. £ thought you might like to hear 6223 Imperial West Van. 921-6555 about it." Indeed J did like to hear about it, and I'm sure itl! give some other schools a good idea. Thanks for writing, Brendan, and con- Eco Info Peggy Trendell-Whittaker DY gratulations, Ross Road School! ee & Amazing things are also happen- ing at the Waldorf School in Lyna Valley, where they recently receiv- ed an Honorable Mention in a B.C.-wide school gardens contest. Each year, the school’s 20’ x 35’ plot ts ‘tadopted’’ by the current Grade 3 class. They receive the “key”? to the garden from the Grade 4 students in a key-passing ceremony held at Thanksgiving, and from then on it’s theirs for the year. Last year’s harvest included, among other vegetables and flowers, a good crop of zucchini, tomatoes, corn, green peppers and basil, which was used to make pesto. (The carrots mysteriously disappeared, one by one, before they were harvested.) The real highlight, though, was the kids’ success in not only break- ing ground, planting and raising wheat, but they then turned around and winnowed it, separated out the chaff, ground it by hand and then turned it into bread. How many of us have had that experi- ence? Texcher Michael Graham szys that in the course of the year. ne and his students learned that prac- ' HAMPAGNE TasTéla| BEACH SiDE Cart FINE LADIES FASHION PRESENT AN EVENING SHOPPING «” APPOINTMENT Along with a Complimentary Dinner entree and appetizer, when a second dinner of equal or greater value is purchased. FOR MORE INFORMATION PLEASE CALL: FINE DINING tising ecology isn't just developing a few new habits, “it's a whole way of thinking and working together.’” Not only did the one class visit 2 farm to haul back raw manure for the garden, the whole school par- ticipated in the process by main- taining a compost bin of their lunch scraps in each classroom. The results of their year-long garconing efforts were served up at a communal dinner that all en- joyed, and the cycle was com- pleted. For information on developing your own school garden, contact City Farmer at 685-5832. BOTTLES WANTED Capers food store in Dundarave is calling for public support in launching a new bulk orange juice scheme. While they currently sell bulk orange juice in plastic bottles, they are wanting to start using glass — but they are not able to buy glass bottles unless they custom order at least 10,000. So they’re calling on shoppers to donate their one-litre (not one quart) clear glass juice bottles, cleaned, with the label soaked off and the lid stili attached. Brian Burke of Capers says they need at least 1,000 to get the program go- ing, so please keep him in mind next time you've got a bottle on hand. Capers is also very anxious to collect the smaller, 250 mL glass juice bottles so they can offer the individual-sized juice servings- Drop your clean bottles off at Capers, 25th and Marine Drive in West Van, or call 925-3316 for more information. UPCOMING EVENTS We’ve read about it, now it’s fi- nally here. The international en- vironmental event, Globe 90, opens its doors on Monday, March 19, at B.C. Place Stadium, with a cast of thousands representing over 50 countries. Among those businesses at the trade show will be North Van- couver’s Ballard Power Systems, who will be serving tea made using the only two byproduts — water and power — of the company’s revolutionary, non-polluting fuel cell, The trade show continues until Thursday. Send your environment tips, Success stories and upconiing events to EcolInfo, 1139 Lonsdale Ave., North Vancouver, V7 2H4, 1362 Marine Drive West Van. 925-1945 Li 922.9247 tumen 947-9748 9 - Friday, March 16, 1990 - North Shore News ao RECYCLE SLGS & PRINTING FROM CONCEPT TO FUSISHED PRODU oT weled puper avatighle M44at nee Drive. 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