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ELSS is a Green Leader in
Canada!
A hand-written letter from David Suzuki and awards from the Canadian
Geographic Society as well as winning Lakehead University's 'Do
Something Contest' all recognize Elliot Lake Secondary School's
environmental leadership.
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We installed a 2.2 kW solar photovoltaic array and a 3.5 kW VAWT
(Vertical Axis Wind Turbine) on our roof to reduce pollution and
greenhouse gases, promote renewable energy in our community,
generate electricity, and reduce energy costs.
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Our technology
classes researched, designed, built and installed solar thermal
collectors to heat water at our school. ELSS students taught
elementary students and community groups about it all and led tours
of the project.
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Students previously planted 50,000+ trees on
mine tailings areas since 1984 and recently broadleaf trees were
planted by students near the school to shade classroom windows in
the summer and let sun through in the winter to reduce energy costs
and pollution.
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Our students generated a "Thumbs Down on Pollution"
program to turn off school lights when not needed, and this involves student-designed, computer graphic images on virtually every light switch in
the school.
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Expanding our paper recycling to include glass, plastic
and aluminium at ELSS is happening thanks to student lobbying.
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We
recently installed high efficiency lights throughout the school and
every window was replaced as well. High efficiency boilers were
installed and all energy usage (gas and electricity) is now computer-controlled to increase efficiency.
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An annual city cleanup by our
students each spring to pick up litter everywhere in Elliot Lake is
a showcase event each year for our school.
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Winter coats are
collected to be 'recycled/reused' for students in need and
for charity.
The next phase of ELSS greening involves a partnership with the
Elliot Lake Community Garden project. Our technology and
horticulture/landscaping students will build a greenhouse and
provide locally-grown produce for the crisis centre, food bank and
student farmers' markets. We want to incorporate high efficiency
super insulation, geothermal heat pumps and solar thermal panels to
heat the greenhouse well into the shoulder seasons of our long, cold
winter in order to grow even more food! Accessing funding will be
the key to our grand vision, so stay tuned for updates!
Mr. Lindsay Killen
Head of Social Science |
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