Getting the Word Out on Sustainable Energy

A green energy park is in development at the city landfill and Saskatoon high school students – with guidance from School of Environment and Sustainability graduate students - are helping the community understand the benefits of sustainable energy, and receiving recognition along the way. 

With support and direction from City of Saskatoon staff and SENS graduate students, the Aden Bowman Earthkeepers are developing brochures and posters to educate Saskatonians about sustainable energy. The Green Energy Park brochures will be distributed around the community and at the landfill and will provide information about the proposed green projects for the facility – which include a landfill gas collection system and a tall wind turbine.

The Earthkeepers program is a Grade 10 integrated program offered by Aden Bowman Collegiate that focuses on issues of environment and sustainability. Students engage in learning activities over the course of a semester. SENS graduate students Chad Jackson, Viji Kalagnanam and Shannon Dyck participated in the project and worked with the Earthkeepers students to create educational materials highlighting various aspects of the park and its role in providing an environmentally sustainable energy system for Saskatoon. 

At an event held June 17, 2011, the project was recognized as one of 17 Saskatchewan initiatives that best promotes innovative research and activities in education for sustainable development.  The award was presented by the United Nations University - Regional Centre of Expertise on Education for Sustainable Development (RCE Saskatchewan).

The SENS partnership with Saskatoon Public Schools was established in October 2010 with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding and a pledge to work together on community projects that focus on sustainability. Collaborations to date include Aden Bowman’s 2010 Youth Sustainability Conference and participation in the Kinsmen Park redesign consultation process. 

Dr. Marcia McKenzie, assistant professor with SENS and the College of Education, and chair of SENS' outreach and engagement committee spoke at the event and congratulated the Earthkeepers for their dedication to sustainability.

"SENS recognizes the essential role that youth play in moving sustainability forward, both here in Saskatoon and around the world. It’s important for our students to engage in joint projects like this with passionate youth that care about the environment and are taking action towards sustainability. We can clearly see the benefit of that engagement through the Green Energy Park project and the brochure that has been developed. Thank you for your hard work.”

The Green Energy Park brochures are slated for distribution in fall 2011.

-30-