got milk?

Got milk?   We need your milk bags?   It's our brand new eco project.  We are working with an organization called, Milk Bags Unlimited.  Here's the plan... 

First we collect the bags... we need thousands!!!   Yes, thousands!

Then we'll cut them into strips, tie them together and weave them into mats.   

These mats are needed for homeless people right here in Canada.   They're needed for refugees around the world.   They're also needed in countries that have been hit hard by natural disasters.     

So, please don't throw out (or recycle) your milk bags.  Send them to Jackman instead.  Tell your family, relatives, friends and neighbours to save them too. 

Please drop them off at the school office or in the collection bags located on the eco bulletin boards throughout the school. 

Together, we can make a difference.   

No More Idling!

Hey, Jackman… the JETs have taken on a new project.   It’s our ‘No Idling’ campaign.  We are encouraging the community to rethink their driving behaviours… especially as the cold winter months approach.  

Did you know that there is a 1 minute idling limit in the city of Toronto?  It’s true!  It’s the law! 

Here are some myths and facts you need to be aware of:

Myth #1: It’s better for my car engine to leave it idling than to turn it off and on again…

Fact: On the contrary, the engines of newer cars are quite efficient and shouldn’t be idled at all!   Idling is just pouring money down the drain.  Drivers across the North America spend a whopping $13 million a day on unnecessary idling, which is equivalent to 14 million litres of fuel.

Myth #2: A few minutes of idling doesn’t really impact the planet…

Fact: Actually, it does.   For every minute minutes a driver idles their vehicle, it releases 45 grams of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. This adds up pretty quickly.  It has a real impact on climate change and global warming.

Myth #3: If I idle my car, it won’t really impact my health or that of those around me…

Fact: Car exhaust is now considered a contributing factor in many serious health conditions, such as asthma, allergies, heart and lung disease, and cancer. Additionally, it is thought that children are particularly vulnerable because of their developing brains and quicker respiration.  New studies are showing that breathing exhaust fumes can damage brain cells and may even be linked to developmental disorders. 

So, hopefully we have convinced you that idling is bad for your car, bad for your wallet, bad for your health and bad for the world you live in.  It’s just bad news. The good news is that you can be a change-maker. Turning off your car sets a good example for your kids and other drivers around you.  In the words of Mahatma Ghandhi, “Be the change that you wish to see in the world”.  It all starts with you… you can do it, Jackman!

~ April, Samantha and M. Csamer
 JETS

(Source: www.dadacanada.com)

Jackman's Waste Audit 2017

Yep!  We did it again.  Another waste audit.  We saved all of Tuesday’s garbage for a thorough investigation.  We will use this data to encourage everyone to reduce the garbage we make at school even more.

Are you ready for this?  The total mass of Tuesday’s garbage was... 19 kg!  Impressive!   That’s 5kg less than last year.  Actually, it's our lowest waste audit score EVER.  

Does that mean it's time to relax?  Nope.  There’s still lots of work to do, many improvements to make.  Here is a summary of what we found…

Recyclables - just 1 kg (That’s less than last year.)

    Paper, boxboard (Most papers can be recycled.)
    Juice boxes, 6 of them (They should have been emptied and recycled.)
    Plastic food containers (They should have been rinsed & recycled.)
    Plastic water bottles and drink containers (It's easy to recycle these.)
    Styrofoam containers (Rinse and recycle these too.)
    Milk bags (Even these can be rinsed and recycled)
    Plastic spoons and forks (Did you know these can be recycled?)
    Plastic shopping bags (Yes, bags can be recycled.)

Food Waste - about 3 kg (That’s more than last year.  What happened?)

    Sandwiches, bagels, pizza… (Kids need to eat lunch, not waste it.)
    Cookies (Who would throw away yummy, homemade cookies?)
    Whole Fruit, bananas (They should have been eaten… or composted.)
    Fruit scraps, banana peels, apple cores (Perfect for our garden compost.)
    Unopened/uneaten snacks (Should have been eaten or taken home.)
    Other spoiled foods like cookie dough, spanakopita, syrup (Very odd.)

 

Paper Towels and Soiled Papers - about 3 kg (That’s less than last year.)

    Paper towels from bathrooms, not many  (Our green bin program is working!
    Paper towels and tissues from classrooms (Let’s use city compost more often.)

Real Garbage - (LANDFILL) - about 10 kg (That’s 3 kg less than last year!)

    Snack wrappers, lots of them (We’ve got to find a way to reduce this!)
    Dixie cups (Let’s use more reusable cups and less disposable cups.)
    16 coffee cups (Again, reusable coffee cups are the way to go.)
    Craft materials (String, straws, beads, fabric, foam pieces, glitter etc.)
    Black plastic (Black plastic must go in the garbage, not recycling)
    Sand, dust and dirt (Probably swept up by the caretakers.)
    Broken toys (It happens.)
    Photocopy carbons

Reusables - about 1 kg (This is less than last year.)

    Pencils and Markers (Pick them up before they get swept away.)
    Snack containers and water bottles (These should have been reused.)
    3 plastic IKEA cups (Just wash and reuse.)
    Toy cars and playdough (What are they doing in the garbage?)

Other – about 1 kg

    Batteries (Not in the garbage but set aside for proper disposal.)
    Used markers (We collect these & take them to Staples for a recycling.)
    Rocks (How did they get in the garbage?)
    Diapers (Yes, these can be added to the green bin too.)
    Freezies (Very odd.)

With knowledge comes change.  Let’s use this information to further our waste reductions efforts.  Together, we can Make Less Garbage at Jackman!