Sustainable Solutions

In 2020 Strathmore High School, with generous support from Golden Hills School Division and local partners began to implement various sustainable food production projects through the school.  The goal of these projects were two-fold:

1.  Provide rich learning opportunities for students both attending Strathmore High School as well as those at other schools throughout the community.  Opportunities where science can connect with the food that our students eat and where students can explore ideas such as the nitrogen cycle, solar energy, and plant needs in a powerful way.

2. Provide fresh, nutritious produce for members of our community and student body. 

Our Vision:

Proposing the construction of an Arctic Acres Geodesic Greenhouse at Strathmore High School.  

We envision this greenhouse as a true community greenhouse and something that would impact all members in our community.  This space could be accessed by various schools and community groups and used to promote sustainable food production, sustainable energy practices and science education. 

Groups like Communities in Bloom could use this space to give courses on permaculture or soil health to members in the community.  Elementary students, junior high students ad homeschool students could visit this space to engage in topics like energy transfer, plant needs, and food production.  

Benefits:

The benefits of a Geodesic Greenhouse is the ability to operate the greenhouse year round 'off the grid'.  The greenhouse would be able to be accessed in the cooler months and would require no extra cost to heat during these times.  The specific greenhouse we are propsing is an Arctic Acres 33-foot Growing Dome Kit which measures 10.05m in diameter and 4.7m in height for a total size of 850sqft.

33-Foot Growing Dome Kit

$32,000 (CAD) + taxes & delivery

The total budget for the project to be successful would be $50,825.52.  Additional funds would go towards allowing this greenhouse to operate more efficiently, year round.  

Confirmed Funding for Project:

Stay up-to-date with all of the our Community Greenhouse developments by "liking" our Facebook page https://www.facebook.com/SHSCommunityGreenhouse

The project in the media:

https://sites.google.com/ghsd75.ca/shsaquaponics/next-steps?authuser=0

Our Science 10-4 class began the 2020 semester building various hydroponic systems. Hydroponics grows plants in a soilless environment, providing the nutrients that the plants need in a solution. We expanded in 2021 and challenged ourselves with aquaponics.

Aquaponics can be used to grow both fish (for sale or food) and produce. Aquaponics is different than hydroponics in that the nutrients are coming from the fish waste. Aquaponics can use any of the system types familiar to hydroponics (DWC, NFT, etc).

Subscribe to our Awkward Aquaponics Youtube channel - click here

To find out more about this project you can access our SHS Google site here:

Atlas Sensors

Our Aquaponics system monitors pH, EC and Temperature.

pH is important for both fish health as well as the growth of plants in the system. Different breeds of fish are tolerable of different pH's and plants in general prefer a slightly acidic pH.

Temperature is most important for fish health and less important for the plants. Our tank contains Endler Guppy hybrids and the ideal tank parameters are given below.

EC is a measure that growers use to identify the amount of dissolved solids in a system (this is what the plants want).

An important part of any aquaponics system is beneficial microbes. These microbes are essential in converting toxic ammonia into less toxic nitrite and then nitrate. The nitrate is eventually the product that the plants use to get the nitrogen that they need.

For more about what we have learned check out "Our Learning Wall".

Hydroponics can be incorporated into a school setting.  A 8 tower farm wall was created in the cafeteria.  The 4 tower farm wall helps to produce lettuce for the local shelter.  Find out more here!

Students are really helping to drive a conversation around sustainability, food security, and what is actually necessary to grow the food we need.  

Thank you to Golden Hills School Division and TD Friends of the Environment Foundation for supporting Mr. Hintz and the Sustainable Solutions student group for some of our hydroponic projects.  We can provide more food and learning opportunities at our school!

Our Learning Wall

Electricity Conductivity (EC)

What does EC stand for?

EC stands for electricity conductivity, which measures the potential for a material to conduct electricity.  Even though most growers are familiar with measuring the amount of nutrients that they have to give their plants in ounces per gallon, gram per liter, or any other measuring units EC is the most widely used.