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Green teams make impact
By Henricus Peters |
April 29, 2013, Monday
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STUDENTS at Yew Chung International School of Shanghai's Regency Park and Century Park campuses can consistently be seen recycling paper, feeding worms in their worm bins, ensuring lights are turned off, air conditioning is at a reasonable level and monitoring the use of water in school. But why are they doing all these things?
The students, through the Ecology Action Team, and more recently through the new "Green Warriors" monitoring team, are learning we all have an impact on our planet (our carbon footprint), and we can all play a part with positive, "green action" to reduce this impact.
It was for this reason, among others, that YCIS Shanghai was recently awarded one of the very first ever "Green Star" Awards from Roots and Shoots Shanghai, signaling the schools' contribution to environmental education and action.
When Daniel D'Andrea, a YCIS teacher, began the Ecology Action Team at YCIS Century Park campus in August 2007, he realized students and teachers were using a large amount of paper and saw the opportunity to reduce waste. Regular recycling collection of this paper by the students brought in cash, which went straight toward raising money for the Million Tree Project, which was a true win-win: The students were recycling and helping plant trees in Inner Mongolia all at the same time.
These days, Ecology Action Team members learn about both water and electrical power use at the school by learning how to read a water meter. Signs are placed in the school to remind the schools to "turn off the tap" in the restrooms to avoid letting this precious resource go down the drain. This is especially important as Shanghai's growing population puts more pressure on water resources.
For the first time, students have undertaken a water poster competition to highlight "ways to save water." Promoted by the Ecology Action Team at the Regency Park campus, this is one of many methods used to spread awareness to the school community.
Much like a garden, the philosophy of YCIS provides a good soil foundation for extracurricular groups like the Ecology Action Team, and a group of committed teachers work like careful gardeners, so the "green activities" at YCIS can continue to grow and flourish.
The students, through the Ecology Action Team, and more recently through the new "Green Warriors" monitoring team, are learning we all have an impact on our planet (our carbon footprint), and we can all play a part with positive, "green action" to reduce this impact.
It was for this reason, among others, that YCIS Shanghai was recently awarded one of the very first ever "Green Star" Awards from Roots and Shoots Shanghai, signaling the schools' contribution to environmental education and action.
When Daniel D'Andrea, a YCIS teacher, began the Ecology Action Team at YCIS Century Park campus in August 2007, he realized students and teachers were using a large amount of paper and saw the opportunity to reduce waste. Regular recycling collection of this paper by the students brought in cash, which went straight toward raising money for the Million Tree Project, which was a true win-win: The students were recycling and helping plant trees in Inner Mongolia all at the same time.
These days, Ecology Action Team members learn about both water and electrical power use at the school by learning how to read a water meter. Signs are placed in the school to remind the schools to "turn off the tap" in the restrooms to avoid letting this precious resource go down the drain. This is especially important as Shanghai's growing population puts more pressure on water resources.
For the first time, students have undertaken a water poster competition to highlight "ways to save water." Promoted by the Ecology Action Team at the Regency Park campus, this is one of many methods used to spread awareness to the school community.
Much like a garden, the philosophy of YCIS provides a good soil foundation for extracurricular groups like the Ecology Action Team, and a group of committed teachers work like careful gardeners, so the "green activities" at YCIS can continue to grow and flourish.
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