BEAT into Spring

10 April 2026Mr Jim Ganley, BEAT Sponsor

Spring term will bring Regatta, AP exams, Provincial Championships, year-end Arts exhibits and performances, and, of course, a host of BEAT-led environmental initiatives.

Later today, BEAT students visit their environmental friends at Shawnigan to explore their fish hatchery, their ‘Growdome” greenhouse, share some thoughts, and dinner. Back in the fall, we hosted their student leaders with some jam-making and brainstorming.

Tomorrow, Saturday, April 11th, thanks to the cooperation and leadership of Ms Stevens & Ms Scheck, BEAT has arranged five environmentally-themed activities for our student volunteers during our annual Service Day. Ranging from organic farming, to Gary Oak meadow restoration, to land fireproofing, and working with volunteers of the Somenos Marsh Wildlife Society and Cowichan Estuary Nature Centre (thanks to Board Members Mr Fletcher and Mr Hacker Teper respectively), students will learn about and contribute to local environmental initiatives. 

Ms Mack and her team of student volunteers will also coordinate several events to celebrate Earthweek – stay tuned for updates. 

This will be quickly followed up by a wide range of initiatives to minimize the carbon footprint of the Regatta: Ms Knorren and her students will have the Herculean task of streaming the compostables, recyclables, returnables and waste of the thousands of attendees, while Julian C, Privett ‘27 and Mr Ganley will educate about, incentivize and monitor the carbon footprint of the Regatta booths, and Ms Mack will manage post-Regatta food distribution to prevent waste. 

Ms Mack also marches on with establishing Brentwood as an Eco-School as Ms Nice and her volunteers will keep the trail to Sweat Meadows cheerful and clean.

Ex10Days and Wellness Day will also feature BEAT-inspired opportunities for students to plant in the school garden, and remove English ivy from indigenous trees on campus: “Rip it out!” extolled Robin Williams in Dead Poets’ Society. With any luck, we will also host Constance Wylie, Mack ‘10 at a BEAT meeting & Urban Development & Sustainability class in late April.

The end of the year will see BEAT endeavouring to reduce waste as students clear out their dorms. With the assistance of housekeeping, facilities, and a clothing swap, we will work to repurpose everything we can.

BEAT meetings are Fridays at Cookie Break in Crooks 131. Please join us if you would like to participate in any of these endeavours, or if you have other ideas you would like to initiate.

Mr Jim Ganley, BEAT Sponsor