This period of online learning did not deter Trinity College School students and staff from making a commitment to the environment by honouring Earth Week wherever they were in the world.
Led by Trinity Environmental Action Club (TEAC), the Senior School embraced a week of green-themed challenges beginning on Monday, April 19th. TEAC leaders Karina Lee and Jade Barnard kicked off the week during morning virtual assembly by asking everyone to get outside and get some fresh air for at least 15 minutes at some point in the day. On Tuesday, Senior School students were invited to make an Earth Day window sign to raise awareness for taking action against climate change, and in morning advisor meetings TEAC provided details on how students can calculate their carbon footprints – and work to reduce them.
On Wednesday, the challenge was to build a sculpture of an endangered animal species out of recycled materials. Some incredible photos were sent in by students from around the world of the artwork they had created using items from recycled glass to food packaging.
Thursday, April 22nd was International Earth Day, and to mark this global initiative, the Junior School watched a video created by TCS Environmental Coordinator Alison Elliott. They, too, made window signs, on this year’s theme of “Restore Our Earth.”
Senior School students and staff were tasked on Thursday with taking a photo of themselves participating in an action to “Restore Our Earth,” such as a litter clean-up or growing a new plant, using #TakeCareofthePlanet. Students and staff could pledge to take steps for the environment, such as reducing food waste, switching to reusable products, or donating old clothes, to be entered into a draw. During afternoon chapel service, Karina and Jade gave a presentation on behalf of TEAC to share more information and ideas on how we can all work to restore the Earth. And the prefects invited everyone to wear earth tones for Themed Thursday, to show their love for the planet.
The week was set to wrap up on Friday with the #donthugmehugatree challenge, asking students and staff to take a photo of themselves hugging a tree and sharing it on social media with the hashtag. In this time of physical distancing, TEAC said “when you can’t hug people, find a tree to hug – it might make you feel better!”
