When it comes to making Calgary a greener city, age is not a limiting factor.
At least that is the impression given by the mayor’s annual environmental exhibition.
At the beginning of June, students from all over the city gathered at the town hall to present their environmental protection projects.
For example, the Connaught School EcoClub demonstrated how the newly purchased metal spoons save hundreds of plastic spoons from being thrown away. The spoons, engraved with the school’s name and purchased with a grant from the City of Calgary, are used during the school’s weekly soup lunches and are washed by EcoClub members.
Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek speaks with students at Connaught School. (Connor O’Donovan/The Weather Network)
“We are working to reduce plastic waste because we have noticed that it is increasing rapidly at our school since we have so many students,” says sixth-grader Esabelle Yang.
“So we raised money and bought custom-made metal spoons.”
At the Apostles of Jesus School, eighth and ninth grade students spent weeks monitoring Calgary’s air quality using a monitor from Edmonton-based organization Inside Education.
The students were able to link changes in air quality to sources of pollution such as traffic and construction sites as well as to forest fire smoke.
“If we know that the air quality is not good, we can make a change for ourselves and even for the world,” said ninth-grader Helina Nigatu. “We can talk about it and be open about how we can improve air quality for future generations.”
Results from the Apostles of Jesus School’s air quality monitoring project are shown. (Connor O’Donovan/The Weather Network)
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2024 will mark the 35th anniversary of the Mayor’s Environment Expo, a three-day event at City Hall that brings together thousands of students in grades 1-12 to participate in workshops, attend presentations, and watch performances promoting sustainability and climate action.
During the event, students from certified “eco-schools” present their individual environmental initiatives, which often take months to develop, to the mayor, their classmates and the public.
“When you listen to kids talk about the environment and explain to them why it’s important to them, you understand why it’s so important to be so committed to sustainability,” says Calgary Mayor Jyoti Gondek.
“I think the students here today are a very, very good reminder to us to stay the course and be good stewards of the environment.”
