These words
are from an enthusiastic grade twelve student from Templeton Mini
School involved in the Make-A-Ripple Project. On June 23rd, 2001,
the community of the Hastings area, including students from Templeton
High School, the local government and local business leaders, kicked
off the Make-A-Ripple Project by installing the first "Grate Mate"
ever in Canada.
The Templeton Enviro Team which is made up of leaders and students
of the Templeton Mini School are spearheading a movement toward sustainability
within Hastings park and the surrounding community with the Make-A-Ripple
Project. The Enviro Team hopes their project may serve as a model
to promote environmental awareness to communities throughout Canada
and the world. Hastings Park and its newly developed sanctuary are
the stage for this fabulously inspiring campaign. The Enviro team
is developing a plan with local businesses to install Grate
Mates in existing storm drains that surround Hastings Park.
By doing this, the Team is hoping to reduce non-point source
pollution from making its way into the estuary at Hastings
Park and protecting the aquatic life inside.
What is a Grate Mate and non
point-source polution?
A Grate Mate is a device that, when installed below a storm drain,
traps up to three-quarters of the pollution(trash, dirt, oil) that
normally washes off of paved surfaces. This polution is called non
point-source polution.
Why is this important?
Since
70 - 80% of the water pollution in an urban watershed comes from this
type of polluted run-off and about half of that is from parking lots,
Grate Mates can make a huge difference for the environment. When thinking
of water polution people usually become concerned about aquatic life,
but non point source polution can make its way into urban water sheds
causing the degradation of drinking water, in turn affecting human
health.
With such projects like the Make-A-Ripple Project, the students of
Templeton Mini school and business leaders from the North Hastings
Business Association hope to set an example to other communities.
They are demonstrating that active members of the community can
make a difference to the environment within their community.
The project has also proven that partnerships between high school
students and different members of the community is possible and successful.
Shaun Mitchell, project coordinator believes "These students are seeing
beyond a concrete jungle and actively moving towards restoring a healthy
community. Together, students and business leaders are demonstrating
that we can take real steps towards restoring environmental health
in our urban communities. "
