The future is bright in Saskatoon! As part of the Student Action for a Sustainable Future (SASF) Student Showcase, held on April 9 at the Western Development Museum, 320 grade 4-8 students from across the city displayed their environmental initiative results from work conducted over the past 6 months. The topics they explored ranged from water and energy conservation; waste reduction; active transportation; local food production; biodiversity protection; and reductions to greenhouse-gas emissions. Some of these innovative projects included:
- Initiatives to decrease the use of single-use plastics, such as garbage-free lunches and finding alternatives to single-serving yogurt containers.
- Waste audits and education to reduce garbage production. In one school, this reduced garbage by 18%.
- An assessment of the food-production potential for aquaponics (plants and fish sharing a common, pumped water supply and exchanging nutrients).
- Reduction of vehicle idling through education and presentations to school board members.
- Saving energy by switching out old light bulbs with energy-efficient LED's.
"With the support and success of the SASF program, teachers and students are undertaking projects with real results that show what we can do to make our communities more sustainable now and for the future", said Amber Weckworth, Manager of Education and Environmental Performance.
The SASF program was developed in 2013 as a partnership between the City, Saskatoon Public Schools, Greater Saskatoon Catholic Schools, Saskatchewan Environmental Society, Sustainability Education Research Institute, and community organizations. Since its inception, the program has involved 72 teachers, 49 schools, and approximately 2,000 students.
To learn more about the SASF project, visit: saskatoon.ca/studentaction.
