Do you know what this is?
If your school is applying for certification this year, the checkmark to the left is what you'll see when you input your initial EcoReview. The initial EcoReview must be inputted by January 30th. Don't delay, input today!

Student Eco-Conference Highlights
A number of schools have held student-led eco-conferences in the last year.

Approximately 400 grade 7-12 students from schools across Burlington attended the first Youth Environmental Conference. Robert Bateman was the keynote speaker and this conference was an excellent example of coordinating partnerships with extensive student participation in every stage: planning, delivery and hospitality.

Algonquin Lakeshore Catholic held their second Best Foot Forward Conference with more than 130 students and teachers representing virtually every school in the board.

Ontario Ecoschools ran its first student eco-conference in Hamilton with high schools from 5 different school boards. The focus of the day was team building and leadership. Highlights were presentations from 3 certified EcoSchools who shared their experience and strategies in implementing the EcoSchools program.

We are working on compiling some tips on organizing eco-conferences in the form of a student eco-conference toolkit. Look for this document to be announced in our newsletter by this spring.

If you have tips and photos to share on organizing eco-conferences please send them to news(at)ontarioecoschools.org.

Green Incentive Ideas for the Holidays or Anytime!
Reward students with incentives that are intangible, both eco-friendly and active - not things! Family passes to local attractions get students out doing fun things without watching tv or playing video games. Passes can be one-off or unlimited for a number of months.

Lead-Up to Copenhagen
This December in Copenhagen, Denmark, the United Nations Climate Change Conference 2009 (also known as COP15) will take place. Delegates to the conference are set to negotiate the successor to the Kyoto Protocol.

Many groups are conducting campaigns to put pressure on world leaders to ensure the agreement calls for emissions to be reduced dramatically enough to bring the planet back to safety. Examining and participating in these efforts can engage students in informed, active citizenship.

A few good resources are:
Cop15 Conference page
Unite for Climate - Youth Powered Solutions
350.org and its non verbal video on the number 350--as in parts per million, the level scientists have identified as the safe upper limit for CO2 in our atmosphere.

"Guide de la certification en ligne" maintenant disponible en français
Téléchargement Guide de la certification en ligne.