An Eco Team Story to Share With You

Here's a story for you.  Jackman's eco team was busy preparing for Earth Day.  The eco team kids really wanted to perform a skit at the Earth Day assembly.  So, they got right to work and wrote a great script... a story about a sick Earth interacting with two caring nurses.  So I said, "Nurse costumes... no problem.  We can figure that out.  But an Earth costume?!?!   That's kind of hard, don't you think?"   Still, the kids were determined.   So we investigated online, and since it's not Halloween, there weren't many Earth costumes available to purchase.  Still not giving up.  We investigated online some more and figured out that we could make our own Earth costume.  All we needed was a big balloon (and I mean BIG), lots of newspaper, some paper mache and some blue and green paint.  We gathered the materials and got right to work.  I'll let the pictures tell the rest of the story.  

Bye-Bye Litter

Bye-bye litter!   Hello clean neighbourhood!  Once again, Jackman participated in the annual Toronto Community Clean Up.  Many classes... hundreds of kids... helped clean up our community by picking up the litter on local streets. 

Look at what we discovered...

- too many smokers are littering their cigarette butts and cigarette packaging (sigh)

- we found lots of single serving beverage containers like water bottles, cans, coffee cups, soft drink cups (these could have/should have been recycled)

- we picked up lots of dirty papers (too dirty to recycle)

- there was also lots of plastic bags (possibly blown around by the wind)

- we even found... a broken bike lock, a bottle of motor oil, some house shingles, some gloves, a dirty diaper and someone's lunch (strange, but true)

We wish our world could be litter free, but until it is, we've got a job to do and we're happy to pitch in.     Check out these litter picking pics...

A Call to Action

(An excerpt from Mr. Cressman's Earth Day speech)

Have you heard?   Our Earth is sick.  It’s been sick for a while now.   And something’s got to be done.  Who’s going to give the Earth some well needed TLC?

Scientists have learned that it’s people who are making the earth sick.   Yep, it’s our actions that are impacting the Earth’s health.  So, if people are causing the problem… shouldn’t people be creating the solution?  It’s time for people to take some actions to heal the earth.   

And when I say people, I mean YOU!!!!   Yes, kids like you, can be the leaders of environmental change.   Kids like you can take action to heal the earth.  There are lots of ways you can take action at home, at school and in the community.  You see, if there are lots of people doing small actions, it actually makes for a BIG change.  

And I believe… when kids take action… everyone listens.   Who’s going to say no to a cute kid?   It’s true.  Here are 3 inspiring stories for you…

In 2013, Carly, Jamie, Connor, Quintin, Bryn and Olivia from Jackman’s Eco Team took on Toronto city hall.   They looked at a common plastic container and asked, “Why can’t it be recycled?   Kids wrote letters to the mayor and city counsellors, and guess what…  the city listened.   The recycling program in Toronto changed, all thanks to Jackman’s Eco Team kids. 

In 2017, Eve and Mya, grade 6 students in Calgary took on Starbucks.   They looked at a coffee cup, and asked, “Why can’t this be recycled?”  They actually created their school science fair project about coffee cup waste.  And of course, they got an A!   But better yet… Starbucks listened.   Starbucks is now committed to developing a better coffee cup, one that can be recycled.   And they promised to share this new cup technology with other coffee chains.

In 2013, Melati and Isabel took on their country.   Yep, their whole country.  They encouraged the government in Bali to ban plastic bags.   And guess what?   Bali listened… the official ban is beginning this year.  It’s time for Canada to take action on plastics, don't you think.   Check out Melati and Isabel in this inspiring video…  Bye Bye Plastic Bag

Did you hear that?  “Find that ‘thing’ that you are passionate about and GO FOR IT”  You know me… I’m passionate about reducing garbage… what are you passionate about?  Whatever it is, you can turn your passion into action.  Read about it, talk about it, research it, educate yourself, become the expert.  But don’t stop there.  Take action.  Do something about it.  The world is waiting to hear from you.  And like I said, when cute kids speak up… everyone listens!  

I can feel it.   Change is coming!   Our Earth is starting to feel better again!  Thanks to kids like you!

Earth Day Google Doodle

Did you see Google's home page today?  Check it out.   Here's a link to Google's latest 'Doodle'.  An inspiring Earth Day message from Dr. Jane Goodall.

Earth Day Google Doodle

Happy Earth Day!

Happy Earth Day from Jackman's Eco Team!!!

Don't Throw Them Out!

If you're like me, you 

have some worn out pants, or some socks with holes, or some t-shirts with stains, or some bath towels that just aren't soft anymore.

And you're thinking... "What can I do with all these textiles?"   Well, one thing's for sure... DON'T THROW THEM OUT!  They don't belong in a landfill.

Instead, save them and drop them off at school.  You see, on Wednesday, May 9, we will be hosting a Bag2School event at Jackman.  Bag2School is an organization working divert textiles from the landfill.  They've got lots of ways to reuse and recycle textiles.   

It's just one more way, our community can commit to reducing waste.  We hope everyone will participate.

Please note:  This is a one day only event!  Mark your calendars.  Wednesday, May 9.   Drop off your bags of clothes and textiles in front of the school between 8am and 10am on Wednesday, May 9.   

Pollinator Picnic

Did you hear? Jackman is celebrating Earth Day for a whole week. We've got something special planned for each day of the week. And on Thursday, we're hosting a Pollinator Picnic!

We recognize that bees have an important job. More than one-third of the world’s crops are maintained by bees and other pollinating insects. They play an important role in the foods we eat, the materials we use to make our textiles, and even some products essential for our everyday health.

Sadly, bees are facing a growing crisis known as CCD, or Colony Collapse Disorder. CCD occurs when worker bees from a colony become disoriented and are unable to find their way back to their hives or worse, return poisoned and infect the rest of their hives.  Pesticides known as neonicotinoids have been implicated as the probable root cause of CCD, and governments worldwide are working to ban these harmful products.

The good news is there lots we can do to help. We can lobby our governments to ensure they follow through on their promise to ban harmful pesticides. We can grow pollinator-friendly plants in our home and community gardens. And we can make wise consumer choices, choosing organic and responsibly farmed products whenever possible.

Earth Week is a great time to appreciate all of the abundance our amazing Earth has to offer. At Jackman, we try to do this every day through our actions and our advocacy. That’s because at Jackman, we believe that EVERY DAY IS EARTH DAY!    

Earth Week @ Jackman

EARTH DAY is on SUNDAY, APRIL 22… but at JACKMAN we’ll be celebrating ALL WEEK LONG!!!  Earth Week is April 16 - 20, 2018

Kids can get ready for EARTH DAY with these exciting lunchtime activities…

Monday - Let’s create Earth Day drawings and messages with sidewalk chalk.   We will inspire our school and neighborhood to be more eco-friendly.   

Tuesday - Plant a seed, then take it home.   You can watch it grow from a tiny seed… into a young seedling… into a beautiful flower!

Wednesday - Meet us in the schoolyard at lunch today and participate in some exciting Earth Day games.   It’s going to be a whole lot of fun!

 

Thursday - Bees are Important for our gardens and farms.   So, we’re hosting a pollinator picnic.   Come enjoy some fruit and veggie snacks.  Healthy and waste-free.

Friday - Make your fridge happy with a new fridge magnet!  Make an Earth Day fridge magnet at lunch today.   Inspire your family to ‘Make Every Day Earth Day’.

It’s looking like another amazing week at Jackman!