Fighting Climate Change at the Beach

Environmental awareness is on everyone’s minds, but did you know about all the ways that the Junior School is transforming to be more environmentally conscious? Here are a just a few fast facts:

• Instead of filling one huge dumpster a week with trash we have got it down to one bag of garbage a week!
• The Surfrider Association recently awarded GNS with an award for its commitment to eliminating single-use plastics in our environment, both at school and at home.
• The Junior School recycles everything possible, encouraging reduced consumption of plastics by using reusable containers, bags and single-use plastics.
• Under the mentorship of the Grade 12 environmental prefect, our Grade 5 students presented to Oak Bay Council on banning single-use plastic bags. They also presented at the Victoria City council to support the ban of single-use plastics, including straws.
• Grade 5 students recently visited businesses along Oak Bay Avenue and Estavan Avenue to appeal to shop owners to ban the use of plastic bags.
• The Middle School and Junior School have worked for the past three years to eliminate invasive species along the waterfront between GNS and Haynes Park.
• GNS students regularly do Beach cleanups to prevent even more plastics from entering the ocean systems.
• The Grade 5 classes have a worm composting system that is creating rich compost to use in the Bee Gardena and sell to others.
• The Grade 2 class examines water consumption every year and makes an action plan for water conservation in their own homes!
• We have a walking school bus every morning so that families can have the opportunity to walk and enjoy our remarkable environment.
• Students who walk, ride bikes, scooters or take part in carpools are eligible to earn house points for coming to school in a sustainable manner each day.
• The school has two beehives and a group that tends to our own Beach Bee Garden!

These are only a few examples of GNS’ commitment to the environment. Students will continue to look for opportunities to make positive change wherever we can, supporting our families as we embrace the fight against climate change. At GNS we take action!