Six Gold Pan City schools have saved enough energy to power more than 60,000 local homes.
As part of Encorp’s BC School Recycling program a half a dozen School District 28 schools have collected 68,625 beverage containers and earned $3,930.76 in deposits.
“The District’s Climate Action Committee and the Board of Education are very pleased students are learning the importance of recycling, reducing and reusing in an effort to reduce their own carbon foot print as well as the carbon foot print of their school,” SD28 superintendent, Sue-Ellen Miller said.
“We are very excited by the work of students and some very dedicated staff who have taken on school wide recycling projects.”
Since the program began in 2000, 37 million beverage containers have been collected and $2.2 million in deposits have been refunded in B.C.
“The students and teachers in Quesnel contributed in saving enough energy to power 63,000 homes for a year,” chief marketing officer for Encorp Pacific, Sandy Sigmund said.
“We look forward to their participation this school year.”
The Quesnel schools that took part in 2010/2011 were: Dragon Lake, École Baker, Kersley, Lakeview, Red Bluff Lhtako elementary schools and Correlieu Secondary School.
Encorp’s BC School Recycling Program aims to provide schools with the tools and resources to make recycling easy, convenient and profitable.
Schools keep 100 per cent of the deposit refunds for each container collected and the program costs the schools nothing.
The schools are grouped into categories, based on enrollment and the schools that collect the most containers in each category win extra cash prizes.
This coming school year the prize money has increased. First prize is $1,000, second prize is $750 and third prize is $500.
The recycling program’s other recognition opportunities include; all top five schools from each enrollment category are recognized, with a year end achievement certificate and individual award certificates are available for “superstar recyclers” at elementary schools
Recognized elementary and secondary schools from all parts of B.C. are encouraged to participate.
To enter or for information, www.return-it.ca/youthcentre/.