Heart Lake Trip June 2010
Water Wise Lesson
Treeplanting
Medicine Wheel Reflection
Medicine Wheel Reflection 2
Local Critters
Recycling Poster Contest Winner
Elaine Altovar
Semester One Highlights 2009-2010
This year is bound to be one of the best years yet for the environmental club ‘Green Force’. There has never been more participation from d’Y’s GF than this year. Over thirty students have shown an interest in the club and attended our first few meetings.
Our first event, a stewardship day at Mimico Creek, is scheduled for October 22nd. We have been blessed to be invited to this stewardship day by the Toronto Region Conservation Authority for the fourth year now. The day consists of planting and hiking. Along the way students are educated in the many ways their contribution will improve the environment. Every year students leave feeling refreshed and renewed. This experience with the natural world is one that sadly few students get to have anymore. We are grateful for this experience and look forward to a fulfilling day. The TRCA runs many different activities for family and friends that connect people with their natural environment. If you are interested please visit http://www.trca.on.ca/get-involved/.
In November Green Force plans to organize a Waste Reduction Week at the school. To celebrate, students will perform a waste audit; assess the amount of recycling found in garbage cans in the cafeteria, collect gently used winter clothing items for reuse, pop can tabs to recycle as well as printer ink cartridges. Please look through your closets for winter items you no longer use such as coats, hats, gloves, mitts and scarves. The collection of empty ink cartridges will continue throughout the year. Please do not dispose of these. Instead drop them off in room 202 to be recycled.
This is just a glimpse at the goals for GF in the first semester. Our motto is “Go Green or the Green Will Go”. This year more students are responding to this call. Green Force will continue to lead the environmental initiatives at d’Y however they are not alone. Issues facing the environment are infused in the lessons they learn in the classroom and in the outside world. We hope they realize that not one person is exempt from the responsibility they have as citizens of the Earth; in the words of Marshall McLuhan “There are no passengers on Spaceship Earth, only crew”.
Mrs. Falacho
The Geography Department and Recycling
This semester the Geography Department prepared the school for a new waste reduction plan. As a result, recycling around d’Y has increased greatly. Thanks to the support of staff and students three extra large receptacles had to be ordered! There are many leaders around d’Y who also ensure that this recycling takes place. Our PIP students with the help of Mrs. D’Souza collect the large receptacles around d’Y and pick up the recycling from the many offices in school. In each homeroom class two recycling reps perform a great service to the school by emptying their bins in the recycling receptacles. At d’Y our goal is to reduce our footprint on the Earth and this is only achievable with the help provided by these individuals and the participation of the students and staff.
This semester we welcome back Mrs. Dodaro and Mrs. Cotroneo. We are glad to add Mrs. Schmidt to our Geography team this year. All members look forward to a productive and successful year. Our grade nine geography classes, grade eleven travel and tourism and grade twelve world issues classes are off to a great start thanks to the contributions of all the teachers and efforts of all the students.
Mrs. Falacho
Earth Hour - March 28th, 2009
Let's help our children become Environment Stewards!!
As Earth Hour Approaches, we as care givers become aware of our responsibilities to guide and give our students and children the knowledge to become Environmental Stewards. Click here to learn more on how we can encourage the next generation to appreciate and help maintain all that we have been given.
Earth Week - April 20th - April 24th, 2009
Celebrate the beauty of God’s wondrous creations!!
Making heartfelt connections with nature is vital for our survival into the next millennium. It is especially important in this age of teachnology when so many people -- children included -- have become isolated from the natural environment.
On April 20th to April 24th, we will be given the opportunity to celebrate the earth with people from all around the world. This is Earth Week. Along with many other activities to participate in this event, St. Marguerite d’Youville’s Geography and Environmental Studies Department will be walking to Trinity Commons to watch Disney’s newest release “Earth.” This movie explores the wonders of our home like never before. We are looking forward to this event.
Geography Students to visit Toronto