School District 72 is practicing what it teaches when it comes to environmental sustainability. The school district reached a provincial target of a one-third reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, relative to 2007 levels, by the end of 2015 - a full five years before the provincial government's required 2020 deadline.
This reduction also surpasses the City of Campbell River's Community Energy and Emissions Plan target of a 25 percent reduction in community greenhouse gas emissions by 2020.
Now, you may be thinking, "That's all well and good, but what does this have to do with education?" Well, a big motivation for School District 72 was the ability to improve learning conditions, both through physically improving the space and saving on utility costs, as well as seizing upon environmental learning opportunities.
In a nutshell, every dollar spent on increasing utility costs is money diverted away from the classroom. Environmental sustainability is therefore becoming an increasing educational priority for both the lessons it can teach, as well as the dollars it can save.
As a "people" organization, the district started by engaging staff and students and, of course, with education.
After adopting an environmental responsibility policy, developing sustainability guidelines, and renewing a strategic partnership with BC Hydro, the district conducted an energy management assessment to identify priority reduction areas. The district also developed a strategic energy management plan which identified a wide variety of infrastructure projects, initiatives to engage students and staff, and community outreach efforts.
An environmental awareness focus group provided teachers and support staff with an opportunity to learn of projects, identify new initiatives, and receive feedback on progress towards carbon neutrality.
By developing and using energy consumption reports, Energy Star labelling, and Statistics Canada commercial and institutional energy use survey results, school administrators could see where their school's biggest energy draws were and share this information with staff and students.
Students were also engaged through the establishment of eco-teams which developed student-led campaigns and activities such as energy conservation challenges and Earth Hour assemblies. BC Hydro school programs are also routinely offered to students and teachers.
Custodial professional development sessions also reinforce the key role of custodial staff, the benefits of using green cleaning products and 100% biodegradable garbage bags, and monitoring for lights and appliances that have been left on.
With staff and students on board, the district then focused on its relationships with the City of Campbell River, BC Hydro, North Island College, and the University of Victoria as other avenues to reach their reduction target. The continued strengthening of community relations is a key focus area in the district's strategic plan.
School District 72 partnered with the City of Campbell River and RCMP as a signatory to the 2012 Youth Charter, providing the City's Youth Action Committee (comprised of students from grades 9 to 12) an opportunity for direct input on community issues and projects, including a specific focus on environmental protection, climate change and energy conservation.
Collaboration with the City of Campbell River has also included using school sites for wind energy feasibility studies, school submissions for the annual Earth Week Film Festival, and joint tendering of commercial solid waste and recycling collection. By partnering with the city for its garbage and recycling pick-up, the district saved over 20 percent in waste collection costs and eliminated the need to sort recyclables - making recycling easier.
"School District 72 has been instrumental in reducing community-wide greenhouse gas emissions and working with the city to implement our Community Energy and Emissions Plan. Their leadership in energy reduction is commendable and we are pleased to work with them as a partner as we update our strategy for implementing energy and greenhouse gas reduction projects across the community," says Amber Zirnhelt, City of Campbell River community planning and development services manager.
In partnership with North Island College, the district installed electric vehicle charging stations and a solar hot water system for the teaching kitchen on their shared campus.
School District 72 also joined the University of Victoria's school-based weather station network, resulting in real time weather information throughout the school district. As a resource that can be used for science and math lessons, it is also allowing the district to pilot a project using the data to control the district's irrigation systems. If the project is successful, it could possibly reduce irrigation water consumption by approximately 18 percent.
By seeking external grants and rebates, the district was also able to supplement the annual facilities grant by an additional $415,000 (the equivalent of more than one-third of the grant) per year from 2010 to 2015 to pay for other environmental initiatives, including lighting upgrades. Funding sources ranged from organizations such as Solar BC, Natural Resources Canada, North Island College, and utility companies, to programs including the Public Sector Energy Conservation Agreement and the Carbon Neutral Capital Program.
Going forward, School District 72 remains committed to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Work in progress includes a building envelope upgrade to the school board office (100 percent paid for by a grant through BC Housing), a multi-year program for unit heater upgrades in classrooms, and the planning for major mechanical system upgrades.
"Both the provincial mandate and the city target gave us a renewed focus on our carbon reduction journey," says Steve Woods, manager of operations for School District 72. "This was a natural extension of initiatives we already had in progress and the result was improved learning conditions at all schools and significant reductions in energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions."
For more information
425 Pinecrest Rd
Campbell River British Columbia
Canada V9W 3P2
www.sd72.bc.ca
