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'Energy of the future'
Students prepare for Earth Hour this weekend

T. Shawn Giilck
Northern News Services
Published Thursday, March 21, 2013

INUVIK
Jason Dayman might be one of the most passionate environmental voices around the Beaufort Delta.

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East Three students Libby Day-McLeod, left, and Cassidy Lennie-Ipana are set to turn the lights off for Earth Day on March 23. - T. Shawn Giilck/NNSL photo

"The environment is a very hot topic in the North – pardon the pun," he said. "But we're seeing change – climate change – and I think it's our responsibility as educators to take the leadership role."

The vice-principal of the elementary side of the East Three school was one of the primary speakers March 15 as the school prepared its students for Earth Hour on March 23.

He was joined by Dan Slavik, the regional representative of the World Wildlife Fund, to help remind the students of the importance of participating in the day.

"I thought it was the perfect time to introduce them and interest them in Earth Hour," said Dayman. "This is the grassroots level between kindergarten and Grade 6, and I think change can happen through education. I think we have a great platform here to make change with our kids."

Dayman is also the head of the school's on the land program, which teaches students traditional skills and gives them a chance to experience life outside the urban confines of Inuvik.

He's in his 12th year living in Inuvik, and it appears his enthusiasm hasn't abated one bit.

"It started as day trips and then we began to venture out into overnight trips in tents," Dayman said. "As the program's grown, we've moved to the cabins. Now, we're trying to show them how solar power can make a difference in our community and our society. What we're planning to do is get solar power at the cabins, so we have a working model and don't have to rely on the generators all the time."

The on the land project, bringing solar power panels to its two remote cabins on the delta, is supported by a $10,000 GNWT grant and a $5,000 grant from the WWF, he said.

Having a vision

"It's just having a vision," Dayman added. "Our vision started with culture-based education and now it's how can we take that and start implementing some modern technology to it.

"The more we do to educate them about it, the more excited kids become about solar power. They see the differences that can be made through small things. It's exciting to see it around the community and I think it's a stepping stone to something larger in our community. We're starting with the grassroots, and our kids are the future to lead this."

Slavik said it's important for the concept to get a foothold in the community.

"It's great working with the schools. We're hopeful they will start to get the new paradigm for the energy of the future. It's about getting these kids thinking about the energy of the future. We provided some funding to the cabin, and I just wanted the chance to come and introduce myself to the kids and the school, and to promote Earth Hour, which is a grassroots program to build awareness of climate change and energy conservation all over the world."

Slavik has organized an Earth Hour yoga class for Saturday night, and hopes people will participate locally by "turning off their lights for an hour between 8:30 and 9:30.

"We all know change isn't something that happens easily," said Dayman. "It's making more people more aware."

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