| Category | Government Institution |
|---|---|
| Status | Recipient |
| Year | 2009 |
| Nominee | EcoTeam |
| Project | Calgary Board of Education EcoStewardship Initiative |
| Summary Of Activity | In June of 2006, the Education*Energy*Environment Team (EcoTeam) was created to provide leadership to advance environmental literacy through strategic facility, curricular and community initiatives. The EcoTeam is dedicated to: • Calculating and reviewing the organizations ecological footprint and using the results to reduce the impact the CBE has on the environment • Creating synergy across service units and departments regarding environmental practices and ethics • Introducing operational environmental literacy and associated decision making processes (for example, full life cycle costing) • Employing a triad leadership model intent on developing bridges between schools, facilities operations and community in efforts to support environmental stewardship. The EcoTeam, together with a steering committee of 24 individuals from inside and outside the organization, developed a Framework and 5 Year Implementation Plan to Advance Environmental Literacy at the Calgary Board of Education. With help from students, teachers and community leaders, the CBE held a public launch for the Education*Energy*Environment (EcoStewardship) initiative in May 2007. |
| Barriers/Challenges To Success | There were three major challenges identified in the early development of the Calgary Board of Education EcoTeam: 1. How to engage the various service sectors within the Calgary Board of Education, including education support, facilities management, environmental services and over 200 schools, in meaningful dialogue to create the systemic change required to achieve a more sustainable school board. 2. A strategy for opening up the possibility for schools to work together on various initiatives and using these initiatives to achieve the outcomes of core curriculum. 3. Importance of engaging key community partners to support this initiative and provide resources and skills to help Calgary Board of Education on the path to sustainability. Having recognized the fundamental importance of engaging all the members of the school district community, the Eco-Team was designed from the outset as a triad leadership model for the purpose of developing bridges between schools, facilities operations and community engagement efforts. One example of how the Eco-Team has managed to work together to overcome these challenges is through their partnership with ConocoPhillips and the Destination Conservation (DC) Program. The DC Program provides training and ongoing support services for school staff and students to improve their environmental literacy and engage in conservation behaviours at the individual and school community levels. It provides a platform for student and staff representatives from across the CBE to come together and share ideas on addressing the various elements of school sustainability. This program is supported by an innovative partnership with ConocoPhillips Canada, which not only helps to financially support the DC program, but has also provided support to the CBE in starting other projects like its waste reduction and management program. Another partnership that has provided resources and skills required to advance environmental stewardship is the partnership with the City of Calgary, Ecological Footprint Team. Through this partnership there have been opportunities to collaborate on our understanding and application of Ecological Footprint and to advance community engagement to be complimentary with each others objectives. Through this relationship, there have been opportunities to work with other City business units to achieve program goals and to support City sustainability efforts. These include working with Water Services to install water meters and develop curriculum which includes water use monitoring as part of a water conservation program. The EcoTeam has also been able to meet with the Infrastructure Services Unit to discuss their approaches and strategies to energy conservation and the use of new technologies. The EcoTeam has also been able to learn from The City of Calgary’s Sustainable and Ethical Procurement Policy, the planning and implementation of an Environmental Management System and communication methods to the community and stakeholders. |
| Contact |
Ms. Olena Juzkiw Projects Coordinator Calgary Board of Education |
|
3610 9 St SE Calgary, AB T2G 3C5 |
|
| Telephone | 403-214-1205 |
| Fax | 403-777-8038 |
|
Contact through Email |
|
|
http://www.cbe.ab.ca/community/ecoStewardship/ |
|
 |
|
|
|||||