Business Administration AP 546: Environmental Practices

Background

The protection and enhancement of our environment is necessary to maintain the quality of life.  Personnel shall promote and reinforce positive environmental awareness and practices that will improve the relationships between people, other living things and their natural surroundings.  Personnel shall promote this awareness and practices with Division staff and the student body.

Definitions

Reduce - Decreasing consumption
Reuse - Putting a particular item to use again
Recover - Using the entire product. Using all components
Recycle - Making new things from old items
Responsibility - What we as individuals must do – an attitude

Procedures

1. Purchasing
   1. Those responsible for purchasing goods will consider the issues of reducing, reusing, recovering, recycling and responsibility prior to ordering.
   2. Every effort is to be made to purchase products that are manufactured from recycled materials.
   3. When evaluating products for purchase, both cost and potential impact on the environment is to be considered.
   4. Prior to acquisition of potentially hazardous materials the Principal or Supervisor will ensure goods are safe as indicated in Administrative Procedure 545 – Hazardous Chemicals Management.
   5. The Principal or Supervisor will make every effort to obtain suppliers policy/actions with respect to environment practices and support those which are pre-environment.
2. Waste Management
   1. The Division shall foster environmental practices based on the concepts of reduce, reuse, recover, recycle and responsibility.
   2. The Division shall make every effort to reduce paper waste.
   3. Waste products are to be recycled where possible.
   4. The Division shall encourage the participation of staff, students and parents in a recycling program.
   5. Handling of hazardous materials will be done in accordance with Administrative Procedure 545 – Hazardous Chemicals Management.
3. Facilities Management
   1. The construction of new Division plants is to be planned/reviewed to ensure adherence to sound environmental guidelines.
   2. The Division shall practice energy conservation in the operation of all facilities and equipment (Destination Conservation).
   3. Where possible the Division will use environmentally friendly products for all facilities, equipment and grounds.
   4. The Division shall have an active Infrastructure Maintenance Renewal (IMR) Program that includes reduce the environmental impact.
   5. See section 3.1, included in leads
4. Division Vehicles
   1. Division vehicles shall be maintained for maximum efficiency and longevity.
   2. Where possible clean and/or recycled fluids fuels will be used in vehicles.
   3. Director of Operations and Maintenance will establish idling practices with respect to vehicles.
5. Integrated Environmental Studies
   1. The Division shall encourage teachers to identify, adopt and/or create interdisciplinary environmental studies units and themes emphasizing sustainable development, to be utilized at various levels, and within appropriate curriculum.
   2. The Division shall encourage Teachers/Librarians to include environmental education resources in their purchasing plans.
   3. The Division shall identify sites in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo area which teachers may utilize for environmental field trips.
   4. The Division shall create curricularly relevant learning materials and activities to support field trips to the identified sites in the Regional Municipality of Wood Buffalo area.
   5. The Division shall examine the feasibility of the establishment and operation of an Environmental Outdoor Education Centre.
6. Environmental and Outdoor Education
   1. Schools are encouraged to consider this as a complementary course in Junior High School.
   2. The Division shall provide teacher inservice to assist in the development of local expertise.
7. Environmental Leadership
   1. The Division encourages consideration of environmental impact in the planning of all operational and educational decisions.
   2. The Division encourages school-based leadership (Destination Conservation) in environmental education and appropriate use of resources at each school.
   3. The Division shall respond to identified environmental education needs as follows:
      1. Promoting environmental awareness in the Division.
      2. Monitoring and promoting Division recycling programs.
      3. Providing appropriate environmental learning resources to schools.
      4. Encourage teachers to adapt interdicts environmental curriculum units at all levels.
      5. Providing instructional assistance and inservice training to classroom teachers and administrators.
      6. Coordinating external environmental agencies and environmentally related government programs with the Division.
      7. Providing fiscal incentives to schools and Division departments for environmentally supportive demonstration projects (Destination Conservation).
      8. Develop a means of recognizing organizations and individuals, both within and outside the Division, who make significant contributions to sound environmental practices or education within the community.
   4. The Division will endeavour to work with community and Government agencies in supporting appropriate environmental practices.
8. Communication
   1. Schools/Departments
      1. Provide the Superintendent with a list of activities undertaken.
      2. The Superintendent will develop a means by which individuals and groups are recognized for achievements.
      3. Advise community of Division initiatives.
9. Evaluation
   1. Responsible teachers will provide principals with an annual report.
   2. Awards for student participation in school and Regional Science Fairs will be maintained by the Head of the Education Department.