The BEAT in Action

The BEAT:Taking Action LOCALLY

Our Motivation for the 2011 GREEN GAMES

During five years of fundraising for a community in the Gwembe Valley, three wells were drilled, a school and teachers residence were built, and desks and solar panels were purchased.

From Global to Local

Local Fundraising-An Osprey Pole

Somenos Marsh is arich and diverse wetland complex lying at the geographic, demographic, and economic centre of the Cowichan Valley. The students and staff of Brentwood worked to fundraise for a nesting pole in 2010 and volunteers will help pull invasive species in the spring.Installed by Cowichan Alternative Energy Solutions, the solar panels atop Ellis House pre-heat water thus greatly reducing the natural gas needed to heat the water without them. Non-Renewable to Renewable

As a certified Eco Active school with Pitch in Canada we work hard to keep our community free of litter.

Pitching In

Started in 2010 as a project by the Environmental Science AP class, the garden is now cared for by the BEAT and any willing green thumb. Potatoes and onions were harvested in the fall of 2010, and served to staff and students in our new LEED certified dining hall. Plans are underway for spring planting. Beets anyone?

We are streaming our waste instead of sending it all to the transfer station. We divide our refuse into 3 streams- compost, recycling or refundables, and garbage. Reducing our Waste

Community Education

The BEAT and our mascot NIK, have demonstrated the importance of streaming our waste properly, using cloth bags, putting on a sweater instead of raising the thermostat, letter writing campaigns, local forest preservation and local marsh conservation in weekly school assemblies and community projects.

Our zero waste regatta is a major operation and the community takes pride in educating visitors about zero waste.Lowering our Footprint

Our fundraiser for the local foodbank will spread awareness to our surrounding community.15% of the tickets sold will receive a gourmet meal. 25% of the tickets sold will receive rice, beans and tea. 60 % of the tickets sold will receive only a small portion of rice and water.Clearly there is an inequitable distribution of food and resources in todays world. More than 842 million people are chronically hungry and this can be changed.

A Unique Dinner Banquet

We will continue to train interested students and staff about the local environment with our yearly Shorekeepers training and are monitoring our local estuary as members of the Saanich Inlet Protection Society.

Shorekeeper Education