This year's theme is Lighten the Load! Our goal is to provide opportunities for our community to lessen the impact that we are having on our environment. Need some help getting started? Check out our Lighten the Load projects listed below. Use the blue navigation text to jump to a section.
Earth Day Cleanups
Earth Day celebrations began in 1970 to remind us to look at the problems of our environment and consider changes that can be made to prevent those problems in the future. Celebrated in over 184 countries by over a billion people, Earth Day has become a forum for the caring public to show its concern about the environment. CLICK HERE to view a poster detailing the cleanups going on city-wide on Earth Day.
Local businesses have partnered with us by providing environmentally-friendly prizes and hosting a draw for people who use their own bags when purchasing from their establishment. Participating business include:
Anything Grows, Earthwinds, Elizabeth Noel, Food Basics, The Gentle Rain, Giant Tiger, Home Hardware, P'Lovers, Sinclair Pharmacy, Sobey's, Treasures, White Balmer Shoes, and Zehrs
Cloth bags will be available at Food Basics, Giant Tiger, Knechtel's, Sobey's and Zehrs for $4.95. All proceeds go to ECO-Perth. If you, or your establishment wish to participate please contact Kerry McManus at Stratford Central, 271-4500. Email: carestratford@cyg.net
As a participant of Fastbreak, here's what you need to know...
- Return your signed permission form to the library to get your pledge forms.
- Ask family and friends to sponsor you to fast for 24 hours. This money will go to Compassion International's Street Children's Rescue Centre in Kenya. They provide children with an education, two meals a day, medical care and family support. For more information, visit www.compassion.ca.
- You will begin fasting on Thursday, February 17th at 9:00 pm. We will end the fast together at Stratford Central on Friday, February 18th.
Here's what is planned for Friday:
4:00-4:15 Registration & Ice Breakers
4:15-6:30 Activity: A Day in the Life
6:30-8:30 Workshops: Making a Difference
8:30-9:00 Guest Speaker & Wrap-Up - During the day on Friday, juice wil be available in the library. Bring your reusable bottle. Let's be environmentally friendly!
- What to bring: reusable bottle for juice and/or your friends! Make sure they have permission forms!
- What not to bring: alcohol cigarettes non-prescription drugs
- You will participate in the activities planned for the evening.
- You will demonstrate concern for the global community by raising money for Compassion Canada.
- You will hand in the money collected Thursday or Friday before school, at lunch or when you arrive Friday at 4:00 pm.
- You will invest in the service projects geared to helping address needs, both here in Canada and around the world.
- You will work together as a team to achieve collective goals.
- You will learn about world issues.
For more information: Ask Ms. McManus (in the library) or Ms. Wadge (room 322) By phone: Ms. McManus 271-4500.
C.A.R.E. Stratford, along with Stratford Central's Environment and Interact Clubs worked together to provide packages of two 13W (60W equivalent) Sylvania Compact Fluorescent Lightbulbs for $8.00 ($7.48 + GST). For information on the benefits to using these lightbulbs, click here.
The money raised was used to purchase more lightbulbs, which were put in the Kiwanis Christmas baskets. Thanks to all those who purchased lightbulbs, as well as to our generous donors. A special thank you to those who sold lightbulbs at the Farmer's Market.
Turn Your Pennies Into Possibilities!
Ink Cartridgres and Cell Phones 
CELL PHONES
- Global: 800 million people around the world currently use cell phones.
- Canada: Millions of out of service cell phone handsets are stock piled in homes and offices.
- Cell phone users change handsets an average of every 18 months. The supply of cell phones is driven by faster change in technology and consumer demand for additional features.
- Nickel-cadmium batteries used in cell phones are considered hazardous waste.
- Reusing cell phones means that expensive mineral and mining processes with harsh environmental effects can be lessened or avoided.
- Cell phones contain toxic elements like arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, antimony, lead and mercury. These toxins leak into the ground water and infect everything from wildlife to drinking water.
PRINTER CARTRIDGES AND THE ENVIRONMENT
- In the recycling process, the entire cartridge is reused because it is ‘remanufactured’ to be a new cartridge.
- There are over 100 million printer cartridges used in Canada each year. Only 5-10% of these are presently recycled.
- 300 million laser and inkjet cartridges go to landfills every year in North America.
- The plastic used in each cartridge takes more than 1000 years to decompose.
- Stacked end to end, cartridges thrown away in North America in one year would cover a distance of over 38,000 km - enough to circle the earth.
- Two and a half ounces of oil are used to make the plastic for every inkjet cartridge produced.
Information used with permission from http://www.think-food.com/en/atp-environment.html.
Currently, we are developing a logo for reusable waterbottles. Once this has been completed, we will be selling them at Stratford Central. Check back for further details.