Transcript Sustainable School Operations Deborah Moore Green Schools Initiative December 2008 The Context The Hope.

Sustainable School
Operations
Deborah Moore
Green Schools Initiative
December 2008
The Context
The Hope
Green Schools Report Card:
Pollution & Environmental Quality
50% of schools in U.S. have problems linked to poor indoor air
quality; asthma is the leading cause of school absences from a
chronic illness
Green Schools Report Card:
Energy & Climate
• Education buildings use 13% of
total energy used in US
• Typical school emits nearly 2,000
tons/yr of carbon from
transportation, energy & water use
Green Schools Report Card:
Garbage
• Waste from schools is ~ 4% of municipal waste
• Food waste and paper comprise majority of garbage;
• Few schools practice the 4R’s or buy recycled
Children are most susceptible
• Developing body & lungs
• Greater exposures from
higher metabolism, breathing
rates
• Bodies cannot detoxify as
adults
• More active, hand-to-mouth
• Exposures affect
development, learning, and
lifetime health
Schools’ environmental education
message to kids:
“Do as I say, not as I do”
or near pollution
Rot
Why Do We Need
Green and Healthy Schools?
• Save money! Especially energy, hazardous waste
handling, absenteeism, workman’s compensation –
savings can be used to fund other programs
• Improve children’s health, especially asthma
• Increase academic achievement and student
performance
• Benefit larger community and global health and
environment
• Empowering kids to make a difference
• Teaching kids environmental and health values that will
stay with them for life
How to Create Green Schools
1. Green School
Committee
2. Environmental
Vision
Statement
3. Environmental
Assessment
4. Action Plan
5. Curriculum
6. Monitoring &
Evaluation
7. Informing,
Involving &
Celebrating!
Adapted from: Eco-Schools
International
Step 3: Garbage Audit
Results of Garbage Audit
Recyclables
currently
Garbage
TABLE 3: Estimates of Total Waste
Generated
Estimate of 1 day of waste
at Tapscott
Estimate of weight of 1 week of
waste (5 days)
Estimate of 1 month of
waste (20 days)
Pounds
Recycling
Tons
Pounds
thrown out
Tons
Pounds
86
48
8
430
241
40
1,720
966
160
Tons
Estimate of 1 school-year of waste
(180 days)
15,484
7.74
8,690
4.35
1,440
0.72
Estimate of 1 school-year of waste on
both campuses
30,967
15.48
17,381
8.69
2,880
1.44
(Note: these estimates assume that all days would be like
the day we audited)
Three years later, the school has reduced its daily garbage to about 2 pounds
The Power of Information
Students analyze and communicate results
to the whole school
Paper Audit
• Estimate school paper use by:
– Weighing paper recycled
– Interviewing office staff about paper
purchased
• Analyze costs and benefits of different
strategies for reducing paper waste,
increasing recycling, and buying recycled
paper
• Implement solutions
• Monitor ongoing paper use and estimate
costs and benefits of savings
Results of Paper
Cost-Benefit Analysis
Current – 0%
recycled paper
30% recycled
paper
100% recycled
paper
Cartons per year
124
124
124
Price per carton
$34.99
$35.99
$45.99
Price per year +
tax
$4,339
$4,463
$5,703
$124
$1,240
Difference
Trees used
Energy used
GHG emitted
74
52
0
119 mil BTUs
103 mil BTUs
67 mil BTUs
17.6K lbs CO2 eq 15.6K lbs CO2 eq 11.1K lbs CO2 eq
Sources: prices from Staples; resource uses from www.papercalculator.org by
Environmental Defense.
Using results to test ideas,
influence decisions
Create Action Plan
Greening Buildings & Operations
•
•
•
•
New Buildings: CHPS
Green Cleaning
Environmentally Preferable Purchasing
Energy & Water Conservation,
Renewable Energy, Transport
• Waste reduction
• Food Service
• Green Schoolyards
Those who say it can’t be done
Should not interrupt those already doing it
-- Chinese proverb
You have to be the change
You want to see in the world
-- Ghandi
Contact:
Deborah Moore
Green Schools Initiative
510-525-1026
[email protected]
www.greenschools.net