Focus on Waste Reduction
This month's newsletter highlights some of EcoSchools’ new waste reduction resources to mark Waste Reduction Week October 18-24.

Newly Designed Waste Audit
Our newly designed waste audit is now even easier to use as a student engagement activity. It highlights how to conduct a visual audit, safety tips and student friendly worksheets. Why not do a waste audit with your students to kick off Waste Reduction Week? Download the protocol and the student worksheet.

Multi-lingual Waste Free Lunch Flyers
The ever popular Waste Free Lunch flyers featuring Eco-Superheroes are now available in nine languages. They are available for download in our waste minimization support section on the website.

New Biodegradable Serviceware Fact Sheets
Is your biodegradable serviceware (plates and cutlery) actually compostable? If the service‐ware does not get to the proper facility to be composted it ends up in landfill, or even worse, these products end up contaminating recycling systems. Investigate this important issue with your students through our factsheet and inquiry based student worksheet.

Grade Two Class uses Individual Waste Audits at each Desk in Math Curriculum
At St Andrews', in the Ottawa Catholic board, grade two students learn about waste minimization at a personal level by attaching a plastic bag to their desks and collecting trash throughout the day.

Over 4 periods students:

• sort 'waste' into recyclables, compostables, and garbage categories
• graph findings and write a thoughtful interpretation
• complete a self-assessment by playing “What Goes in the Bin” on the City of Ottawa website, thus allowing them to further familiarize themselves with responsible sorting rules (to avoid contamination)

Caledon Crunch
Elementary students in Caledon all took a bite of a local Caledon grown apple at 11:00am on September 29th as part of Eat Local Month.

Eat Local Caledon provided information for students, staff and parents on reasons to eat local apples and other local produce.

The Caledon Crunch was launched in September 2008. It was developed as a way to encourage youth engagement in the local food and farming movement and to give Caledon students a hands-on experience with local food.

It's About Time from OTF gives $$ for EE projects
It’s About Time supports teams of up to four teachers with three days of release time per teacher.

Using a problem-based learning model, successful applicants work together problem solving and designing their own professional learning program.

Teachers can apply for teacher release funds to develop strategies that integrate the environmental education policy into classroom practice.

To apply, fill out the application found at the bottom of the It's About Time website page. Deadline is November 8.

Updated Eco-Calendar
Our eco-calendar page has been updated with many new exciting eco-dates. Thanks to Roberta Oswald of Toronto Catholic for sharing her ecological calendar.

Some upcoming dates:

Visit our eco-calendar page for more.

Eco Halloween
Consider discussing how to have an earth-friendly Halloween with your students. We have listed some spooky ideas below with the help of greenhalloween.org:

• swap costumes to re-wear and re-scare
• create student-decorated treat bags from recycled goods or old pillow cases
• decorate with items from nature – pumpkins, gourds, apples, hay, etc.
• hand out flower seeds as trick-or-treat items
• wear costumes with an eco-theme like an eco-superhero

Results from Last Year's Certification

• 1234 schools certified in Ontario last year! 36% increase in participation from 2009!
• 40 school boards are participating in EcoSchools across Ontario.
• 61% of certified schools participated in a waste audit.
• 95% of certified schools conducted a Walk about Worksheet (WAW) monitoring and communicating Energy conservation practices
• Result: Students and teachers making a difference for the environment EVERY DAY!