The Jasper Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee recognized two schools and two individuals last week for their contribution to enhancing, preserving and protecting the environment.
The annual Jasper Environmental Stewardship Awards recognize individuals, organizations, businesses and youth groups in Jasper through a nomination process. There are five different categories including, energy conservation, waste reduction, water efficiency, environmental awareness and green design.
“When it started three years ago it was sort of something new and there were a lot more submissions from larger organizations,” said Janet Cooper, Jasper’s environmental stewardship coordinator.
“In recent years I haven’t got as many nominations as I used to, but we’re still happy that we got nominations from the schools.” Jasper Elementary School was one of those schools recognized for its waste reduction efforts.
According to the committee, every classroom has bins for paper, cardboard and compost. The Grade 4 classes are responsible for emptying these bins at the end of every week and visit each class at the beginning of the year to discuss the importance of recycling.
In addition to the waste diversion program, the school also encourages students to use reusable water bottles and lunch containers and any refunds earned from recycling beverage containers helps fund school activities.
École Desrochers was also recognized for its environmental awareness for integrating sustainable practices into every day school life.
Examples include the school’s living wall in the school foyer, using furniture made from ethical wood harvesting practices, literacy and art programs that use recycled materials and natural elements, such as pine cones or branches, and the school’s garden.
Marie-France Miron, the school’s kindergarten teacher, nicknamed her class “Au Sans Papier” (Without Paper) in an effort to use as little paper as possible.
“The schools are the best places to work to promote best environmental practices and everyday routines. That’s where it has the most impact, because the kids go home and get their parents doing it,” said Cooper.
Other winners include, Marie-Hélène Hamel, a master puppeteer and street artist, who was recognized for her environmental activism. According to the committee, she works in collaboration with Habitat for the Arts and the Jasper Municipal Library offering workshops to the community and uses recycled materials, such as a newspaper to create papier-mâché puppets.
The committee also recognized eight-year-old Maya Charest for her efforts to reduce waste and raise awareness about the environment.
Charest leads by example, collecting crab apples and selling samples of the dried fruit to her neighbours. Her sales pitch includes a conversation about keeping bears safe and how to responsibly harvest fruit.
This year the committee didn’t receive any nominations for energy conservation, water efficiency or green design. “Sometimes people are doing great things and nobody knows about it, so [the awards are] a good way to share with the community if somebody has taken the step forward in green design or reducing water intake,” said Cooper.
The environmental stewardship awards are presented annually following Environment Week.
Paul Clarke [email protected]
