The recent public hurricane of concern over global warming is blowing into Okanagan schools. After a decade of lukewarm interest in the environment, Okanagan teachers have begun to work climate change and waste reduction into the classrooms, said Nicole Marzinzik the waste reduction co-ordinator for the North Okanagan Regional District. “With Al Gore‘s movie, An Inconvenient Truth, it‘s made the environment sexy again,” said Marzinzik. “Now we‘ve noticed there‘s been a demand for more environmental projects in the school.” One of those programs, the sixth annual Environmental Mind Grind competition, is this weekend in Polson Place Mall. On Saturday, 13 teams from four local schools, involving students from Grades 4-6 and Grades 7-9 will dress up in costume and face off Jeopardy!-style, answering an array of environmental questions. “They face challenging questions, such as what creates more air pollution than any other single human activity and what is the largest use of energy in the average home?”The winning teams in each category will receive $500 for their schools and fleece vests for team members. Second place teams net $300 for their schools and hats for team members. The top two teams will compete in Kelowna on May 5 for the Southern B.C. title and another $1,000 for their schools. There are 86 teams throughout the Okanagan, Kamloops, Central Kootenay and Boundary areas. There will also be a Sportsmanship Award for teams – scoring includes grades on costumes, crowd support and most creative ideas. “It gives students a chance – who may not necessarily be on sports teams – to be on a team,” said Marzinzik. “It grows every year.” Marzinzik said in preparing for the competition, students learn a lot about air quality and waste management. To the joy – and sometimes chagrin – of parents, kids encourage green changes at home after the competition is over. “Who knows what (these kids) are going to be doing in 10 years,” said Marzinzik, adding she‘s looking forward to seeing some of the “fabulous solutions” they‘ll come up with. In case you‘re wondering about the answers to Marzinzik‘s sample questions, they are driving and home heating
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