First Things First: How We Define Sustainability
Everything we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability is important to making sure that we have and will continue to have the water, materials, and resuources to protect human health and our environment. It's not only about saving the environment and minimizing our impact. It is ultimately about ensuring the surivival of the human race.
The Eco-Committee
As part of our mission to become more sustainable and to become the Eco-Center of North-East China, we have formed an Eco-Committee, to oversee all of the projects that our school does for sustainability. This committee has developed a framework to outline our goals and plans, called the "4 P's".
Purpose1. Bring existing school sustainability projects and programs into the forefront of the whole school.
2. Developing new projects and programs that are within a structured yet fluid school-wide sustainability program 3. Enhance DAIS core values with a sustainability component 4. Develop global citizens who provide leadership and stewardship for sustaining our planet 5. Motivating and inspiring students and the community through school programs and community partnership |
PictureWe envision DAIS as a school:
1. with a strong sustainability program that transcends the curriculum while inspiring and empowering students to contribute to the local and global community 2. serves as a lighthouse and resources for sustainability practices and education of the greater China community 3. provides an Eco-Learning lab that is linked to Hands to Work concepts such as gardening systems, alternative energy sources, and community outreach and partnership 4. develops students who say "This is who I am" in the context of stustainability |
Plan1. Generate a timeline
2. Identify potential budget needs and financial support resources 3. Apply to gain UNESCO Eco-school status through the United Nations Environment Program 4. Make Sustainability a part of the curriculum across all disciplines 5. Incorporate a "hands to work" element using various gardening systems that demonstrate and promote a whole gardeing life-cycle 6. Provide opportunities to demonstrate Green energy or alternative energy sources ans systems 7. Install Green 'signage' throughout campus that highlight s existing programs and sustainability concepts 8. Create a DAIS Eco-lab, that will house some of the Eco-projects and initiatives, and become a community center that can tie DAIS to the greater community and provide a space for "hands to work" learning and Green Energy demonstrations |
PartWhat part do we play in all of this?
Teachers: assist their classes to help make our school more sustainable Parents: support and motivate children to be good stewards to the environment Student: Aspire to be a "global citizen", understand what that looks like, and take on a role of a leader in school sustainability programs DAIS: partner with the community, both locally and globally to promote "sustainability" at all levels |