An Autumnal BEAT

16 December 2024Mr Jim Ganley, BEAT Sponsor

If school is in session, there is a BEATing heart at Brentwood’s core advocating for greater sustainability on campus and around the world. We do our best to think globally and act locally.

Skillfully and enthusiastically led by our Brentwood Environmental Action Team Captain Ruby S, our group tackled a wide range of issues including food production, service, selection and waste, clothing, and consumption.

In the food basket, Ms Sue Shroeder, the Cross Country Team, the Grade 9s – Thanks Ms Stevens & Ms Cheung – and a team led by Ella B harvested 1450 lbs of apples which we turned into apple sauce, pies, juice, cider, a Sunday Brunch, a local lunch program for elementary school students, and even tasty feed for local livestock. Led by Ms Cindy Lehman, we also tried our hands at crafting raspberry jelly from local, hand-harvest fruit. Stuff does not go to waste!

Speaking of food waste, the students narrowly defeated the staff in our first Staff vs Student Food Waste Audit in November. January 2025 will bring Round #2. Thanks to Mr. Conrad Davies for his assistance.

The November bomb-cyclone left the cycling and pedestrian trail across the TCH littered with debris – and litter – so two teams of BEAT volunteers took up rakes, brooms, shovels and a weedwacker to make this scenic detour tidy and safe for local residents and cyclists.

Having discovered that the new Faculty Lounge in the CIL was using SINGLE USE PAPER COFFEE CUPS!!!! Megan C & Addison C, appalled, marched across the recently tidied trail to the Salvation Army where they purchased unique, cheerful, second-hand mugs – so no Brentwood teacher is ever put into such a compromising position ever again. 😉

Speaking of NO MORE SINGLE USE PAPER CUPS, thanks to Food Services Manager Mr Sanderson and his team for eliminating them from our annual Holiday Luncheon. This year, the egg nog and cranberry juice arrived in glasses!

Looking forward, we facilitated both the Women’s Society and the Grade 9s in planting tulip bulbs which will host pollinators and then be harvested as a fundraiser for a local charity in the spring. Annie L & Daniel W also pledged 10% of the profits from Woodli’s, their upcycling clothing business.

In the final week of school, Layla R & Savannah C organized our annual December Clothing Swap to reduce clothing waste while Juliana V and her team wrapped gifts with repurposed, low-carbon materials. 

On the Killy stage, Jamie E took the lead at Assembly with October’s “Food Waste Quiz Show” while Lily A and Ryer B hosted “The Hunger Games” which tested our knowledge of the carbon intensity of various food choices. Ruby also stepped up and delivered an inspiring TED Talk.

All of these efforts were supported by our creative team of Parker M & Ms Terra Rusman who, with the support of contributors like Lily A and Kate M kept the XIBO screens fresh with cheerful and entertaining PSAs.

Ringmaster Ruby S closed out the term with another engaging contest sending us home for the holidays – and BEAT presented Mr Chalmers and his family with a Holiday gift basket including apple sauce, raspberry jelly, apple juice, cider and a dress shirt branded with the BEAT logo. Welcome to BC, Chalmers family. You can’t BEAT it!

The second term is sure to feature an Uptown Environmentalism video, a thrift trip to Victoria, an interhouse energy audit competition, fruit tree pruning, wildlife monitoring, as well as attending and presenting at the ISABC Student Sustainability Conference.

And if you have another idea you’d like to develop to make our school community more sustainable, we’re happy to help!

Mr Jim Ganley, BEAT Sponsor