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REPULSE BAY - A group of students at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay are trying to make a difference - one can at a time.

The youth began their Everyone Act - Reduce the Heat (EARTH) program in February of 2008.

Students at Tusarvik school in Repulse Bay use pop cans to create a work of art for their Everyone Act - Reduce the Heat (EARTH) program earlier this month. - photo courtesy of Devin Aviugana

Tusarvik teacher Jennifer Perry said the program focuses on climate change, global warming and things people can do to help prevent that, especially in the North.

She said the idea of the project is for students to combine art and science.

"The students have used the cans to make homemade paper and an art project in the snow, and the majority of them will be used for a special project to close out the school year," said Perry.

"As part of the EARTH project, they've been picking up and collecting as many discarded pop cans in the community as they can get their hands on.

"Our special project, which we hope to conclude by the end of this school year, is to build a huge Inukshuk from the pop cans we gather.

"Since there's no recycling in Repulse, last year we put boxes around the school to collect cans and we also had a number of parents who brought theirs in, as well."

There are about 15 students taking part in the EARTH program.

In total, they've collected about 2,000 cans to be used to create a series of art projects, which will culminate in the building of the big Inukshuk.

Perry said most of the kids are in Grade 7 or 8, but there are five older kids who make up the green team and have become the leaders of the group.

She said in addition to learning what effects are being brought into play in the North by climate change - and what they can do to help slow them down - the project is bringing awareness to Repulse Bay and the entire region.

"Even though it may be difficult for us to do some of the things they do in the south, there are things we can do to have a positive impact.

"The community in general, has been pretty good in supporting the project.

"In addition to bringing in a lot of cans last year, we took part in the global EARTH Hour event when everyone turned their lights off for an hour on one special day.

"We did radio promotions and made posters for EARTH Hour, and the majority of the community took part in the event."