Two schools and two service clubs will be going green thanks to Petrolia’s Green Leader Program.

The town and Waste Management partner for the Green Leader Program which encourages groups in Petrolia to find environmental solutions to make a sustainable community.

This year, Queen Elizabeth II School has received the largest grant – $5,000 – to start a school composting program. Each class will have its own composting bucket and there will be up to three composters to break down food waste to be used on the schools outdoor garden. The money will also help fund an indoor hydroponic grow tower near the library.

St. Philip Catholic School will receive $3,000 to create two welcoming gardens at the front of the school using plants native to southwestern Ontario. The students will work with a nursery on the legacy project.

The Petrolia and Area Kiwanis Club will be expanding a program which provides preschool and school-aged children with the materials and tools needed to garden. In 2021, the club provided eight children with the tools, the Green Leader funding will help expand it to 12.

And the Lambton Central Petrolia Optimists Club will receive $3,000 to place a soft surface under the small playground equipment using recycled rubber material.

Since 2020, the Green Leader has given out $75,000 supporting 13 different projects.