Sustainability

Administrative Procedure: 544

SUSTAINABILITY

Background
The Delta Board of Education, through the Delta Green Committee, is committed to instilling in its students, staff, parents, and community an awareness of and commitment to sustainability by leading environmental stewardship and fostering a holistic approach towards climate change, energy optimization, waste reduction, and water conservation.

The Board is committed to improving its performance in sustainability and will endeavor to conduct its operations and make decisions based upon five priorities: conservation, protection, education, regulation, and recognition.

Within the scope of Environmental Stewardship, the District will actively promote, model and advise decision making, professional learning and actions that will meet these five outcomes.

Definition
Sustainability means the capacity of a thing, action, activity or process to be maintained indefinitely and meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.

Procedures
1. The District encourages and supports initiatives to reduce, recycle and recover waste materials in all schools and departments.

2. The District shall adhere to the principle of conserving electricity, fossil fuels and water through an energy management plan (EMP) focusing on optimization through technology and behavioural based actions. This in turn will lead to conserving energy, reducing harmful greenhouse gases into the environment, and seeking alternative renewable energy sources while still maintaining the highest possible level of safety, comfort and health for students and staff. The EMP will be owned by, and be the responsibility of, everyone within the District in order to conserve and eliminate waste.

3. The District shall adopt practices that protect students, staff, community and the environment. Sustainable best practices that seek to conserve water consumption and energy use as well as minimize waste shall be sought. Such practices in all District operations shall include, but not be limited to, substitution or elimination of the use of toxic and harmful substances, increased use of recycled and recyclable products, reduction in packaging and solid waste generation, and increased diversion of recyclable materials out of waste streams.
3.1 The District will purchase environmentally friendly and recyclable products which will provide the highest possible level of performance.
3.2 The District will continue to promote local habitat conservation and improvement on all District owned properties, where appropriate.

4. The District will promote and encourage educational activities, curriculum development and implementation that have environmental stewardship and energy conservation as its focus. School-wide or classroom initiatives emphasizing critical thinking and social responsibility related to energy optimization, waste management and water conservation will be emphasized.

5. The District will meet or exceed requirements for public sector agencies set forth in Provincial climate action, energy conservation, and other pertinent legislation policy or regulations. In addition to the provincial agency mandates, the District will continue with its own district-wide and site specific conservation initiatives.

6. The District will communicate the importance of sustainability initiatives by informing the school community of technological upgrades and behavioural based actions.
6.1 The District will support awareness campaigns that enhance, engage and modify student, staff, and community behaviours.
6.2 The District will celebrate and recognize accomplishments.

Reference: Sections 17, 20, 22, 23, 65, 85 School Act
Health Act
Occupational Health and Safety Regulation