Certified Green - How Bay Area Schools are Going Eco-Friendly
July 12, 2008
By Tara Taylor
Copyright 2008 by Parents' Press Magazine, reprinted with permission. All rights reserved.
Living in the Bay Area, it is hard to ignore your impact on the Earth. There are Spare the Air Days, recycling containers atop many public trash cans, and countless advertisements for products that are organic or environmentally friendly. Being green is in, and it's here to stay. For adults, it seems easy. We can just change our behavior: cut back a little, bike to work one day, pack a lunch the next. But for kids, where do they start? For many children the message of being green starts at home and is carried into the classroom, and many schools are taking notice.
Dozens of Bay Area schools have made it their mission to go green. That no longer means just having an Ecology Club or a recycling program. From environmentally friendly construction to waterless urinals and solar panels, schools are changing their ways. And thanks to three different programs, they are now receiving recognition for their efforts.
Thirteen schools in Alameda, Contra Costa, and Marin counties have become Certified Green Businesses through the Association of Bay Area Governments green certification program.
The Oakland Unified and Marin City school districts have pledged to have all their new buildings constructed to CHPS (Collaborative for High Performance Schools) standards. And
the new San Francisco Waldorf High School is in the process of becoming the first LEED certified school in San Francisco.Berkwood Hedge School (K-5), Berkeley
Certified Green Business: 2005
When the staff at Berkwood Hedge heard about the green certification program through Alameda County they jumped right into the process. The first school in the county to be certified, Berkwood Hedge has been keeping its campus green ever since.
Along with recycling in every room, the school replaced toilets and faucets with low-flow versions, switched to non-toxic cleaning supplies, reduced water use, and hosted no-waste events.
"We have adjusted our outside irrigation" said Director Jane Friedman, who says many of the student's parents are environmentally conscious. "We don't hose anything down, we just sweep."
During the process the school cut its total solid waste in half with increased recycling and composting, dropping from two dumpsters a year to one.
Types of Green Certification for Schools
Certified Green Business: A county-run program; nine Bay Area counties participate. It works with existing businesses to alter their operations to be environmentally friendly. Created by the Association of Bay Area Governments in 1997, the program helps businesses and schools examine their impact on the Earth with a series of checklists and audits.
The certification process looks at construction, facilities, and behavior of employees. For more information, go to: www.greenbiz.ca.gov