Add something Green to your new year's resolution. Recycle more? Add some plants? Get out in nature? Teach about energy? Educate and inspire? There are so many ways to green our schools & community. Come out to a Green Scene meeting and share some inspiration!

The Green Scene is encouraging Fort McMurray Schools to be idle free zones.

Why?

Idling is a bad habit that wastes fuel, adds to pollution and can contribute to health problems. Idling your vehicle less will save you money on fuel, improve air quality in your community and reduce emissions contributing to climate change.

• Reduce "warm-up" idling to 60 seconds before driving away, just make sure your vehicle's windows are clear. Wheel bearings, steering, suspension, transmission and tires are only warmed when the vehicle is moving. It typically takes at least five kilometres of driving to warm up these components.
• Turn your engine off if parked for more than 60 seconds above -10°C.
• Avoid using a remote car starter above -10°C.
• Stuck in traffic, using a drive-thru, picking up, visiting, shopping? Shut off the vehicle! Ten seconds of idling uses more fuel than restarting your engine.
• Many communities are becoming Idle-Free.
• Edmonton by-law: No Idling in front of Schools & Hospitals

People have been busy!

Timberlea School received a School Environmental Quest grant from ConocoPhillips for an Earth Week Reusable Water Bottle Campaign in 2016 to purchase a water bottle filling station.
Ecole McTavish received a School Environmental Quest grant from ConocoPhillips in 2016 for a solar heated greenhouse.

Westwood High School was a finalist in the 2016 Staples Superpower Your School nationwide contest.
The Islamic School Emilie Giroux received an Learning for Sustainable Futures grant for $200 toward a reusable white board marker program.
Congratulations everyone!

The Westwood Green Initiative, a team of Westwood High School students facilitated by Johnny Duhlku has a goal of showing our region how to fight climate change through carbon-neutral projects led by students. They have won four BP A+ For Energy grants, to install solar panels, water bottle filling stations, a dome greenhouse, and a solar heating system for the greenhouse. Green Initiative has also earned $10,000 in grant money from ConocoPhillips, WWF Canada and the Whole Kids Foundation, to build solar-powered rainwater management and watering, outdoor gardens, worm composting and their first greenhouse. Their newest challenges are bee pollinating and using a 3D printer to recycle plastic into wind turbines. Great job! Follow them @WestwoodGI

See more here
Fort McMurray Today March 2013

Global, Environmental, Outdoor Education Council Conference (GEOEC) May 11 to 13, 2017

Learn and network with Alberta teachers at a fabulous conference in Jasper. Sign up now!

This award winning program helps classes learn about energy use and change some habits. Deadline to sign up, Jan. 22, 2017. Sign up now!

Green Teacher is a magazine that helps youth educators enhance environmental and global education inside and outside of schools. Sample magazine issue Green Teacher offers a webinar series. A digital subscription to Green Teacher allows access to past webinars, but a subscription is not necessary to attend the live webinar events. View webinar schedule here

Oct. 17-23, 2017 Waste Reduction Week
Oct. 26, 2017 Take Me Outside Day
March 22, 2017 UN World Water Day

March 25, 2017 Earth Hour

April 22, 2017 Earth Day

June 8, 2017 World Oceans Day

Fall Quest Environmental Grant

Twice a year, Alberta Emerald Foundation
August-Dec, Jan.-June
$500, different green categories

Nov. 30 Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant

December 1, 2016 – January 31, 2017
Staples Super Power Your School

March 10, 2017 Art Works Alberta
$1500 to reduce school’s environmental impact

March 2017, BP A+ For Energy Grant
Up to $10,000 to help with energy learning

June Alberta Blue Cross Healthy Communities Grant

List of Gardening & other grants

ACEE List of Grants

Here is our Fall 2016 newsletter

We are a group of teachers, CUPE staff, admin, parents and students of Fort McMurray Public School District, dedicated to environmental education and action. Making green happen!

Join in!

Twitter: @GreenSceneFMPSD