Baljot Rai ’24
Contributor
This year, the St. Paul’s High School Environmental Action Committee (EAC) organized its first-ever Earth Month campaign! Founded in 2020 by Mr. Oliver Capko S.J., the EAC is one of the newest extracurricular activities available to the students of St. Paul’s and has quickly grown to a group of 26 dedicated students and staff.
The committee strives to make St. Paul’s an environmental-friendly facility through education, awareness, school engagement, and sustainability. This April, the committee organized many initiatives for the Earth Month campaign.
To increase student engagement and awareness, the EAC informed students about recycling through a variety of methods. First, posters were on display on the Jesuit wall, featuring information regarding recycling procedures, contamination, recycling tips, and what items are recyclable. Members of the committee also conducted in-class presentations to inform students about recycling and the environment.
On Earth Day, we played a school-wide Kahoot to test students on their recycling knowledge. On Earth Day, all students were permitted to be in casual dress if they brought batteries or electronics to recycle. The “Meatless Mondays” initiative also took place to highlight carbon emissions caused by meat products. Through a partnership with Gene’s Place, no meat was served in the cafeteria on Mondays.
As a part of the Earth Month campaign, the committee is implementing an electronic recycling program at St. Paul’s. Electronic recycling bins have been placed in the gym link. We encourage students to recycle electronic objects such as batteries, old phones, computer hardware, and cables through this program. Students are also encouraged to recycle ink cartridges and writing instruments—bins for these can be found in the library.
The EAC is also working towards reducing recycling contamination through student awareness. Posters have been placed in classrooms and high-traffic areas showing what items are and are not recyclable. The committee continues to track recycling contamination rates in the school.
The EAC also conducted a tab-collection competition among class cohorts. The tabs collected through this competition will be recycled and go towards providing Manitobans in need with wheelchairs. Additionally, the committee aims to paint the large recycling bin located near the staff parking area, colouring it blue to distinguish it from the garbage.
Photo Credits: Matthew Ouelette ’24
The Crusader News 