Taking Action

The biggest lesson we can take from Earth Day is that when we work together toward a common cause, the impact can be monumental. Small changes add up to make a big difference. Committing to earth-friendly acts including making more sustainable choices, reducing our carbon footprint, conserving energy and resources, collaborating on environmental projects in the community, voting for leaders committed to protecting us and the environment, and sharing acts of green help to educate and inspire others to take action and make a difference.

Ridgeview kids are taking action to protect the environment. Recently, groups of Ridgeview students led school wide campaigns to build awareness to plastics pollution. Did you know that over 300 million tons of plastic are produced each year to make bags, bottles, packages, and other commodities for people all over the world? Only a small fraction of this plastic is properly recycled and reused. The rest ends up as waste in landfills or as litter in our natural environment, where it leaches dangerous chemicals into the nearby soil and water, endangering humans and wildlife. Plastic pollution is not only impacting our waters and marine life, but also the food chain and overall health.

We are all concerned, and the kids are taking action to educate their peers, families and communities to bring a greater level of consciousness about plastics pollution. The kids know that plastics awareness is an environmental challenge of global proportions and rethinking plastics use is an important symbol of the values that need to change to build a more sustainable and just world.

Congratulations to grade 5 student Sienna for leading the Save Our Seas education campaign and to grade 6 students Nic, Owen, Fisher, and Lucy for spearheading the bottle recycling drive. A special shout out to Mrs. Bird and Mrs. Tsumura and grade 2 students for championing the battery recycling campaign and to grade 2 and 4 students for organizing a fundraising campaign to support animals in the environment via the Earth Rangers organization.

Kids care about the environment and are advocating for change. Inspired by Iqbal Masih, grade 6 students also advocate for change. Sofia advocates for the removal of plastic straws. Jake advocates for the sea otters by appealing for the safe disposal of plastics and imposing hunting restrictions. Sarina speaks out about water waste.

Inspired by Kayden’s love for turtles, grade 4 students showcase turtle artwork and the steps all individuals can do to protect the oceans. A reminder from grade 1 students that everyday is Earth day and we must all pitch in to save the planet is poignant. We need to protect our Earth, it’s the only one we’ve got.

Students in grades 4 and 5 took up the District of West Vancouver challenge by creating videos on the theme Bins Don’t Recycle.  People do! In their submissions, students did a great job showing the importance of how recycling the right way is good for our community.  Grade 5 Ridgeview student Anton was awarded the First runner up prize and Ridgeview students were recognized for greatest class participation.

Taking steps to conserve and reuse is one of the best things we can do to help save the environment, and it is easier than you might think. Start small and do your part just by changing your daily habits. To help save the environment, try decreasing energy and water consumption; change your eating and transportation habits to conserve natural resources; and reduce, reuse, and recycle to be more environmental friendly. Once you’ve made your own lifestyle more environmentally conscious, you can also engage in activism to help educate others on doing the same.

Start protecting the environment today to create a healthy, more sustainable future for our kids! Thank you Ridgeview students for leading the way.