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The Clark Fork College (CFS) was lately acknowledged for a second time in December 2020 by the Eco-Faculties USA program. CFS, a nature-based preschool within the Rattlesnake neighborhood of Missoula, turned Montana’s first Eco-College in 2012.
There are 39 licensed EcoSchools in Montana, however CFS is at present the one faculty within the state to have acquired a Inexperienced Flag, and we now have two.
The Inexperienced Flag is the best degree of award doable within the Eco-Faculties USA program and entails engaged on three environmental focus areas. For our second Inexperienced Flag award, our college students centered on biodiversity, power and water pathways. College students and lecturers assessed the biodiversity in our college backyard, examined the place we may very well be extra power environment friendly, and helped households set up rain barrels to make use of rainwater for playground use as an alternative of freshwater.
Kiddos from all age teams are concerned within the sustainability of our college and neighborhood. This consists of college students in our youngest class who’re simply two years previous! At CFS we imagine it’s by no means too early to begin studying concerning the surroundings and our roles in stewarding it.
College students in every class resolve on neighborhood agreements with their classmates and lecturers. Every settlement focuses on displaying respect for others, the college and the environment. College students ask themselves, “How can we handle the Earth?” Academics mannequin sustainability by commuting by way of bus, carpool or bike, bringing reusable lunch containers and water bottles, and composting meals scraps within the faculty backyard. We’ve a reward system for workers members who commute sustainably to high school, which incorporates perks like reward playing cards to native Missoula companies.
Final yr when the college closed down throughout the pandemic, the Chickadee class lecturers Whitni Kent and Sarah Clark used Earth Day to boost consciousness of environmental stewardship with their college students. Since they couldn’t have fun collectively in individual, Whitni and Sarah collected a bag of trash for every of their college students at Greenough Park and the Riverfront Path System to point out the youngsters they had been fascinated with them, in addition to concerning the Earth.
“We wish to instill the thought of sustainability in our college students from a younger age and assist them understand it’s a solution to concentrate on the answer, slightly than the issue, and the way they could be a a part of that resolution,” mentioned Whitni. This is only one of many ways in which sustainability is built-in instantly into the curriculum by lecturers for the kiddos to be taught from and be impressed by.
In prior years different environmental initiatives included weekly hunts for microtrash on the college playground by the after-school enrichment program, and organizing a sustainable artwork present with different preschools known as “Trashformations.” For this artwork present, every faculty created a chunk made out of recycled supplies.
One in every of CFS’ contributions was a Nice Blue Heron product of recycled PVC, damaged toys that college students introduced from dwelling, and phone cords. These items now embellish our lecture rooms and outdoors areas! “It’s been enjoyable not solely to encourage sustainable artwork right here at CFS, but additionally to encourage it in different preschool communities,” mentioned Sarah (Clark).
Are you curious about the Eco-College USA program? Eco-College USA’s Montana consultant, Naomi Alhadeff, is predicated proper right here in Missoula! Your faculty may have already got environmental initiatives which will be simply acknowledged within the Eco-Faculties USA program.
“What I need lecturers and faculties to know is Eco-Faculties USA is a comparatively straightforward and easy course of simply to get the ball rolling. Eco-Faculties USA is an NWF program giving faculties the framework wanted to combine sustainability rules into the college, grounds, and curriculum. The Inexperienced Flag is awarded to Eco-Faculties who’ve adopted pathways and met a number of standards. Clark Fork College achieved their first Inexperienced Flag in 2016, receiving their second Inexperienced Flag in December of 2020.
Nevertheless, I’d be so pleased to get extra faculties in Missoula, or wherever in Montana, extra concerned and be acknowledged not solely nationally however internationally. Montana faculties are already doing wonderful sustainable actions or educating environmentally pleasant topics. Eco-Faculties USA permits the college to be acknowledged for these achievements and I’m obtainable to assist on this journey.“ -Naomi Alhadeff, Senior Coordinator, Montana Schooling Packages for the Nationwide Wildlife Federation in Missoula, MT.
Sarah Kilbourne is the Program & Enrollment Coordinator on the Clark Fork College in Missoula. This Sustainable Missoula column is dropped at you – by way of the Missoula Present – each week by Climate Smart Missoula and Home ReSource.
Sustainability Happenings
As COVID-19 has altered many neighborhood occasions, some have moved on-line or discovered inventive shops. Right here we provide concepts about sustainable methods to remain concerned in our neighborhood. Should you like these choices, take into account signing up for Local weather Good’s eNewsletter here. And join Residence ReSource’s eNews by way of their homepage here.
Lot’s of occasions and concepts to have fun earth day, week and month – keep tuned!
Now by March 21. Apply for a garden plot from Garden City Harvest! Backyard Metropolis Harvest is taking new gardener functions! Every of the neighborhood gardens gives individuals with a backyard plot, instruments, water, straw, compost, and academic assets to assist them develop their very own meals. Apply by March 21 for the perfect probability of receiving a plot this spring! Extra data HERE or name 406-523-3663.
March 24. 6 pm. Digital occasion. Missoula Join our 2050 Lengthy-Vary Transportation Plan is within the closing levels of improvement earlier than adoption in summer time of 2021. Be part of us to be taught extra concerning the plan’s improvement that result in the draft initiatives and applications lists. This open home is framed round offering a context to individuals with an emphasis on alternatives for questions and suggestions!
For extra data on the plan and a chance to finish a survey go to: https://www.missoulampo.com/long-range-transportation-plan
March 25, 5pm. Digital occasion. Decarbonize Your Money: Investments and More. This free “pleased hour” Zoom panel dialogue will concentrate on learn how to decarbonize your cash from private investments and extra. Be part of Households for a Livable Local weather to find out about placing your privilege and cash within the service of making actual change on a system-wide degree.
April 2. 5:30pm. Electrical Automobile Rally, Journey Biking Parking Lot (150 E. Pine). Be part of Electrical Automobile homeowners to have fun the thrill and advantages of electrical automobiles, driving up and down Higgins and ending on the Journey Biking car parking zone. Taking place each first Friday at 5:30pm.
April 6, 12 – 1pm. The First Step to Fixing Climate Change with scientist and local weather communicator extraordinaire Dr. Katharine Hayhoe. Households for a Livable Local weather digital occasion.
Now by April. Montana Legislature is in session. Get the superior “The best way to be Concerned Information” from Montana Free Press. To comply with efforts for clear power, local weather, conservation and sustainability, take into account connecting with (and getting the low down and motion alerts from):
By April. Missoula Valley Winter Market. Positioned within the Southgate Mall (in former Fortunate’s Market). Market hours: Saturdays, 9am-2pm by April 17.
By April 22. Thursdays, 7pm. Searching for Sustainability Lecture Sequence. In 2020, this lecture sequence celebrated 50 years of Earth Day by specializing in Missoula’s sustainability efforts & that includes 60 audio system. In 2021 a lot of these audio system will return to present updates on how their applications have tailored to the crises we face. Try this yr’s schedule HERE. 2020 recordings can be found HERE.
By June 19 (dates added periodically). Virtual Fixit Clinics. Wish to strive fixing from dwelling? Current your damaged merchandise to a world group of knowledgeable neighborhood repairers and get solutions for issues to strive. In any case gadgets are introduced, individuals transfer to Zoom breakout rooms to implement the solutions and, hopefully, repair the gadgets.
Discover extra native actions and occasions at Missoulaevents.net and on Montana Environmental Data Middle’s Conservation Calendar. And you can also assist arrange occasions – right here’s the 2021 Calendar of Environmental Awareness Days – month by month break down of world day campaigns.
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