Walk To School Week

Have you heard?  Walking to school is cool - very cool.  It’s great exercise, it’s eco-friendly and it’s a whole lot of fun!

Jackman is hosting our very first Walk To School Week! October 11 - 14, 2016.   It’s a week to celebrate walking to school and to encourage more kids and families to get involved. 

So, walk to school a little bit early each morning so you can participate in these special activities…

Tuesday morning… Stickers!  Walkers will receive a special sticker to celebrate the beginning of ‘Walk To School’ Week!  

Wednesday morning… It’s Wacky Wednesday!   Walk to school wearing a hat today - the wackier the better.   We can’t wait to see what you’re wearing.  We’ll be standing by with cameras to snap pics of all the wacky walkers.

Thursday morning… Sidewalk Art!  Jackman’s Eco Team will be scattered around the block.  They will have sidewalk chalk to share with you.  Draw a picture or write a ‘Walk to School’ message on the sidewalk on your way to school this morning.

Friday morning… Fruit Snacks!  Walk to school this morning and we’ll have a fresh fruit snack waiting for you.  There’s nothing better than fresh fruit.  It’s a healthy snack and garbage free too.

Come on everybody…  let’s get walking!  Walking to school has never been better!!!

Want To Join Jackman's Eco Team?

Hey Kids,

At Jackman, being ECO is something we’re always thinking and talking about.  You’ve heard it… our motto - ‘Every Day is Earth Day at Jackman!‘  'La journée de la terre, chaque jour!' 

Of course, being ECO doesn’t happen by accident… it happens because we make it happen.  To tell you the truth, it’s a lot of hard work.  And that’s where you come in... we need some students to be Jackman’s ECO leaders. 

Jackman’s Eco Team will meet every Wednesday at lunchtime to work on various ECO projects.   Are you interested in joining the JETs?   Are you committed?  If so, complete the ‘job application’ and return it by Friday, September 30.   Looking forward to working with you.

Mr. Cressman, Ms. Csamer, Mme. Pace

P. S.  Parents... you can join Jackman's Eco team too.   Contact one of us to see how you can get involved.   

Walk To School Week - New Date

Walk to School Week has been postponed.   Don't worry, it's just delayed a couple of weeks.     Our school is sooooo busy the last week of September.   So, let's celebrate Walk to School Week right after Thanksgiving instead.   Our new dates are...

October 11 - 14, 2016

We'll have special activities each morning to encourage more walking.  We hope everyone will get involved.  'Cause we know that walking to school is very cool.  It’s great exercise.  It’s eco-friendly.  And let's not forget, it's a whole lot of fun!   So, consider leaving the car at home and walk to school more often. 

Waste Reduction Information

I mentioned in a recent post that we need to educate ourselves about what can and cannot be recycled.  We're lucky to live in Toronto, a city that provides a lot of options for recycling.  Our city also has done well at communicating its waste reduction strategies.  There are two ways to obtain this information.  

The first is your Collection Calendar.   Did you think it was just a calendar?   It's actually a whole lot more.   It's full of interesting information about waste and recycling.   For example, inside your calendar, you'll find the 'Top Ten Blue Bin Sins'.  Maybe you participate in one of these recycling sins and it's time to change.  There's also a full colour recycling poster in the centrefold.   Post it in your house today.   And put your Toronto Waste Collection Calendar on your reading list.  There's so much to learn.  

Toronto also has a great online resource to help us learn about proper sorting of our waste.   It's called, Waste Wizard.   Just type in the name of a waste item that you are questioning and, like magic, it will tell you where it belongs.  For example, if you typed in toothbrush, you would discover that it goes in the garbage can.   And if you typed in shampoo bottle, it would advise you to rinse it out and recycle it.   It's an easy-to-navigate waste reduction tool.   Bookmark it on your computer today.  And tell your family, friends and neighbours about it.   We need everyone participating in waste reduction.  It's the right thing to do.  

Here's the waste wizard link...   Toronto's Waste Wizard

Markers, Markers and More Markers

Just came back from my local Staples store.  I dropped off 2 gigantic bags of Jackman's used markers for recycling.  We've been saving our markers all year long in efforts to divert them from landfill.  Way to go Jackman!  And thank you Staples.   Staples has been working together with an organization, TerraCycle, to recycle markers and other office supplies.   

Sadly, I received notice that this partnership is ending soon.  Looks like this is our last marker recycling opportunity.   If anyone hears of an alternative option for recycling markers, please let us know.  Maybe our answer is just a Google search away.  :-)  Anyone want to do the research?

Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

REDUCE, REUSE, RECYCLE!  Everyone knows these three words.  They’ve been part of our eco vocabulary for decades.  Did you know that these words are in a particular order for a reason?  Reduce always comes first.  At school and at home, our first priority is to REDUCE.  Reduce the garbage we create.  Reduce the paper we use.  Reduce the food we waste.  Reduce the use disposable containers.  Reducing means making wise choices when we are shopping for our families.

If reducing, for one reason or another, is not an option, then our second mandate is to REUSE.  Reuse the other side of the paper.  Reuse a shopping bag.  Reuse a water bottle.  Pack a lunch with reusable food and drink containers.  Even Jackman staff are encouraged to tote a reusable coffee cup to school.  Reducing and reusing go hand in hand.  We need to plan ahead and take action to minimize waste. 

 

Finally, if we are unable to reduce and unable to reuse, then recycling is our last eco friendly option.  We need to RECYCLE as much as we can.  Recycle papers.  Recycle plastic food and drink containers.  Recycle other types of packaging.  There's one problem however - Recycling can tricky.  We have to educate ourselves about what can and cannot be recycled. 

Unfortunately, when reducing, reusing and recycling don’t work, our waste goes to a landfill.  There’s a familiar saying about garbage – “just throw it away!”   Truth be told, our garbage doesn’t really go away - it just goes somewhere else.  And for Toronto, that somewhere else is about 200km west, in a landfill near London, Ontario.  And here’s the thing - if Toronto continues creating garbage the way we do right now, this landfill will be full in 10 years.  Then what?  The city has a problem on its hands. Diverting our waste from landfill is a high priority. 

At Jackman, we have been collecting school waste data for years and we use this information to guide our waste reduction program.  We take waste reduction seriously.  It’s our responsibility.  It’s everyone’s responsibility.  Together we can make a difference.  Please join us on this journey towards greater waste reduction.