Sierra Club of BC & Thornhill Elementary School

Sierra Club BC has ramped up on its anti-idling messaging this summer with their We Hold the Key anti-idling campaign. It also created an Anti-Idling Action Challenge for the classroom programs we do across BC. One of our contest winners took on the anti-idling challenge in their community. Here's what Donna Rivet's Grade 6 class at Thornhill Elementary School did to address idling in Terrace, BC:

1) A 'pledge' sheet was made and students took it around their neighbourhood to get signatures from adults, pledging to reduce idling whenever possible.

2) Together, the class composed a letter to go home with every student in the school, about idling and the greenhouse effect, and asking parents to help us reduce unnecessary idling. The letters were photocopied on paper salvaged from the recycle bin and reused.  

3) The class made posters for the Skeena Mall. A student phoned the mall manager for permission, and was responsible for hanging the posters in the mall.

4) Posters were made for the school.

5) Another student wrote a letter to the Far West bus company (the company that buses students for the school) to ask them on behalf of Room One to turn off their engines when waiting outside of the school for the students.

6) Another student wrote a letter to City Council on behalf of the class to ask them to consider putting a sign at the old bridge to ask people to turn off their engines while waiting for their turn (this is a one lane bridge, each side takes turns).

7) The class composed a letter to the local newspaper.

8) Other students researched the myths about idling, and the myths vs real facts were presented by them to the class and then given to the Principal to include in the school newsletters.