INVUIK - Our Northern Studies class at SHSS has been talking about our cultures and history in the NWT and where our students fit into that story. We discussed the Inuuqatigiit curriculum's premise that in the north, the interaction of values and beliefs are one with the environment and people.

Students agreed wholeheartedly, as they recognize the importance of the land to us all. We then made the bridge to discussing the town's Community Energy Plan. We were lucky to have two presenters visit our school recently to ask of our input into the community plan, and the students were inspired to write to you so they could share their ideas with our community. They wanted to voice their concerns as well as offer suggestions as to what the community can do to better sustain our region. Here are their letters.

- Angela Young

Amie M. Charlie

Lately in Northern studies, we've talked about the word "respect", and what it means to our identity, culture, community, and our overall well-being as a living person. Respect is such a powerful word; it plays a big role in our society. It gives reasoning on why we should practise this word in our day-to-day lives. If we all do this we'll be living in a healthier community, as a people, and an environment.

The other topics we've discussed were climate change and sustainability. We had two guest speakers come in and talk to us. They wanted our input to go towards Inuvik's sustainability plan. My class had a lot of contributing points, and they were really good ones. To me, sustainability means to do something for the long-term effect that benefits the community in a good way.

I already know that even the little stuff I accomplish in my everyday life contributes in a big way. For example, conserving the usage of water in your home, walking instead or driving, recycling more, not littering, turning off the lights when you're not using them, unplugging the appliances or electronics when they're not in use - because even though they're not being used electricity is still being used to power it - starting to look at buying clothes that are eco-friendly, and watching what kind of products you put on your body or face (creams, moisturizers, hair products, shampoo, cosmetics, etc.). If we do these little changes, just think how much we'd be helping out the place we call home.

Some ideas that I came up with for the town to consider is to have a monthly gathering of the community to come out and help pick up garbage. By the time the snow melts, our community will be much cleaner, instead of the usual mess that appears all over town. Another idea was that the town should build a soccer pitch. The benefits that the soccer pitch would contribute to the community would be to let Inuvik host its own tournaments, so we wouldn't have to go to other communities and cities - they'd come to us. We can also have artificial turf, instead of real, so we can conserve water. We wouldn't have to maintain it as much. This topic is so important to me, because whatever you do affects everyone else. It's just really important to remember that.

Douglas Sittichinli

In our Northern studies class we have been talking about climate change and sustainability. So far, we have talked about what could happen to the planet Earth if we don't try to prevent the effects of global warming. So if we don't stop it, there can be major changes in the ocean and sea levels, the permafrost would melt, and the Arctic would suffer massive effects, which can cut off the link between the people of the north and their culture. To me, sustainability means to make something last as long as possible, so I think the town of Inuvik should have a energy plan. And maybe the surrounding communities will see what we're doing to help stop global warming and create their own energy plans.

Some ways Inuvik could help to reduce carbon emissions is by not letting vehicles idle for such a long period of time. They can just plug in their vehicles so it would be warm when they start them in the morning. They can also try to get a recycling program in the north so they can recycle paper, glass, and other items other than just pop and liquor bottles. The people of the town could also help by turning off the lights when they're not in the room, by turning off the water when they brush their teeth, or they can buy energy efficient fluorescent light bulbs.

So this is my opinion on global warming and how we can prevent it. Thank you for reading this letter.

Paulina Burns

In the past week our Northern studies class has been talking about sustainability, our place in the north, and aboriginal values and beliefs. We have also talked about the importance of keeping the land clean, so we can have a healthy environment. Sustainability is really important to me because without it, our world wouldn't survive. If we don't support our environment, then the streets and the land wouldn't be a very clean place. That would affect hunting, and it would make our community look like a dirty place.

I want to show other young people that sustainability is important, and it's easy to maintain. Some ways of showing them this is picking up garbage as I walk to school. Also, I could use less water when showering, or brushing my teeth. Turning off lights that aren't being used, or not idling your car would be ways to keep the environment healthy. My friends and I could carpool on cold days so that we wouldn't give off so much carbon emissions. Using one car instead of five is much better for the environment. Inuvik needs a better recycling program that not only recycles pop bottles or cans but also paper, and other things. We could also offer homeless people free lunches for picking up garbage around the community. That way we're keeping our streets clean, and the homeless fed.

Keeping our environment and streets clean is just a start on maintaining sustainability in this community.

Chelsea Lennie

In our Northern studies class we've been learning about how to prevent global warming just by doing little things around your house or picking up garbage, walking where you want to go, and recycling your cans, paper, and anything you can recycle. Not idling your vehicle for like five-10 minutes and you shouldn't even be idling that much anyways because you're just creating more carbon dioxide. That goes up in to the air and it makes the ozone layer thicker than it should because of the carbon dioxide. Because the ozone layer is thicker it makes the radiation from the sun that's supposed to bounce off, and reflect back towards the sun. But it's not so it makes the radiation stay in the atmosphere and creates global warming. But since the ozone layer is thicker it is making it harder for the radiation to reflect off.

If people knew how much the Earth is suffering then maybe they would start to help save it, like by walking and just little things that they can do.

Jessica Pierrot

This week in class we've been talking about sustainability in Inuvik, what we value, and our place in the North.

I believe that sustainability anywhere is important. One thing that I value is Inuvik and the people in it, and that's why sustainability in Inuvik is so important to me. Sustainability, to me, is keeping our land clean and limiting the natural resources that we use. It also means the ability to be sustained for an unfixed period of time without harming the environment. A few steps that I can take to be a role model with sustainability is that I can make other people aware of how global warming and stuff is affecting, not only our community and the communities around us, but the whole Earth as well. I can also educate my household and my friends on different ways to save energy, such as unplugging appliances and power bars.

Somebody once said that it only takes one person to start a riot. So I believe that it only takes one person to start being a role model for sustainability in Inuvik. I know that I can make changes to my daily habits to help the environment. I already walk to and from school every day, and I plan on using less water when I do things.

I also want to start turning off lights and appliances that aren't being used in my home. Inuvik as a community can work towards sustainability by carpooling and not leaving their vehicles idling for too long. We can also get a school bus or a bus to take people to and from work and school. Using something like wind energy, I believe, would be a big help as well; also having a paper recycling place, because I know that there is a lot of paper that is wasted.

There are a lot of things that we can do to make Inuvik more sustainable, and I plan to do what I can right away.