Each year, Trinity Environmental Action Club (TEAC) hosts Polar Bear Day, inviting Senior School students at Trinity College School to participate in efforts to raise awareness of the plight of the world’s polar bear populations, in honour of our school mascot, Trina the bear. On Monday, March 8th, the thermostats were turned down by 3°C and students and staff were asked to wear warm sweaters as a reminder of the importance of energy conservation in the fight against climate change.

As the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) notes, “Polar bears (Ursus maritimus) are the poster child for the impacts of climate change on species, and justifiably so…their dependence on sea ice makes them highly vulnerable to a changing climate. Polar bears rely heavily on the sea ice environment for traveling, hunting, mating, resting, and in some areas, maternal dens. In particular, they depend heavily on sea ice-dependent prey, such as ringed and bearded seals. Additionally, their long generation time and low reproductive rate may limit their ability to adapt to changes in the environment.”

For this year’s Polar Bear Day, TEAC leaders Mika Romao Vandepol and Jade Barnard also encouraged houses to take part in fundraising efforts to support polar bear conservation. More than $160 was raised, which will be donated to the WWF’s polar bear conservation, arctic habitat protection and Regenerate Canada programs via the Adopt-a-Polar-Bear campaign. “This donation will support Indigenous-led conservation and stewardship initiatives in the Hudson and James Bay lowlands where polar bears are threatened,” explains Ms. Alison Elliott, TCS environmental coordinator. “It will also potentially support work by the WWF with the mining and shipping industries to reduce threats to polar bears.”

Congratulations to Brent House, which raised the most money and will have the honour of working with TEAC to name our adopted polar bear! We look forward to learning their decision.