Vision

Our action project was inspired by the UN’s 17 Sustainable Development Goals as well as several of the LSF conference workshops.
The first idea students had was to get a rain barrel for our butterfly garden. The water collected in our rain barrel will help keep our garden hydrated and blooming. This part of our action project connects nicely with SDG 6: Clean Water and Sanitation. Specifically, Target 6.4: Our rain barrel will collect and store rainwater for future use, conserving potable water and enhancing water efficiency. It can also be connected to SDG 11: Sustainable Cities and Communities, Target 11.6. Rain barrels help manage stormwater runoff, reducing urban flooding and water pollution. Moreover, rain barrels reduce the demand on municipal water supplies and promote sustainable water management practices, which can be connected to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production as well as Target 12.2. Lastly, our rain barrel connects to SDG 15: Life on Land (Target 15.1), because it will help protect natural habitats and maintain biodiversity while also addressing erosion. From there, we thought about other ways we could grow our school garden in a sustainable way. This lead us to vermicomposting. Our student-created composters can be connected to SDG 12: Responsible Consumption and Production and Target 12.5 because it is a form of recycling organic waste into valuable compost for our butterfly garden. Moreover, vermicomposting ties directly to SDG 13: Climate Action, Target 13.2, because it helps sequester carbon in the soil and reduces methane emissions from landfills. Our plan was for each division to get student-made composters, and the compost produced will be used in the garden for the entire Sunningdale community to enjoy. Each school year, we host various events that bring the community together, such as our open house and the Foire Fantastique. People of all ages will have a chance to enjoy the garden during these events. Our project relates to sustainability because the rain barrel collects and stores rainwater, reducing the need for the school to use municipal water for gardening and landscaping. It also provides a backup water source during dry periods, helping to maintain school gardens without relying on external water supplies. The vermicomposters help reduce the amount of organic waste that would otherwise end up in landfills, lowering the school’s overall waste output. Moreover, the natural compost produced is rich in nutrients, improving soil health and enhancing plant growth in school gardens. Ultimately, both initiatives provide hands-on learning opportunities for students as well as foster a sense of responsibility for the environment.

Action

The LSF conference inspired our Eco club to come together to improve our school butterfly garden. After the conference, students thought about ways they could make a sustainable difference at Sunningdale and build off of what had already been done in the past while also connecting to the SDGs. With the help of the Junior Eco Team, students worked on a proposal for vermicomposters. A small group of students presented the proposal to the principal and vice principal, who loved the idea. After creating and presenting the project proposal for the action project, it was time to order materials. Once the materials arrived, students worked together to create a vermicomposter for each division. We repurposed tupperware and used recycled newspaper that was collected in the Sunningdale neighbourhood for our vermicomposters. The next thing we had to do was set up our rain barrel near the garden. With the help of our school custodian, we found the perfect place to collect rain water. We are excited to see how much rain water we can collect and compost we can create by the end of June. Our action project is just getting started!

Links