The Lovett School Sustainability Program

Transcription

1 The Lovett School Sustainability Program Annual Report

2 Overview For the past eight years, at least, Lovett has been striving to more fully integrate discrete activities, classroom lessons, and public events to create a comprehensive sustainability program. At the same time, we have been reaching out to individuals, educational institutions, businesses, foundations, and non-profit entities beyond our campus to create relationships and networks dedicated to sharing resources and knowledge about sustainable living. During the school year we made significant strides in both of these areas. Much of our effort last year was focused upon more fully engaging students in Lovett s sustainability program. At the same time, we made a number of improvements to campus facilities, which enhanced energy efficiency and the disposal of waste. In addition, Lovett became a leader among schools in Georgia and the Southeast in supporting renewable energy and carbon offsets. Lovett is committed to incorporating leading environmental practices into its educational and operational goals, and to fostering environmental awareness and stewardship among our community. The Lovett School Environmental Policy Statement The Portman Family Middle School, LEED Gold Rating

3 Engaging Students In fulfilling our mission to educate students for the 21st century and promote the development of responsible citizens, Lovett s priorities are: Encourage environmental awareness among our students, faculty, and staff, and provide appropriate training and information about Lovett s sustainability programs. Develop programs to harness students enthusiasm, encourage sustainability-inspired innovation, and offer opportunities for students to collaborate on our journey toward sustainability. The Lovett School Environmental Policy Statement

4 One of the highlights of Earth Week in April was our first Sustainability Scholar-in-Residence, Peter Byck, who is best known for his compelling documentary film, Carbon Nation. Mr. Byck spoke at Upper School and Middle School assemblies, visited classes, ate lunch with students and teachers, Peter Byck and delivered a public lecture during his two-day visit. He emphasized practical ways to reduce carbon pollution, preserve resources, and save money, which would appeal to anyone, even climate change doubters. He also previewed a new film he is making on carbon sequestration through sustainable cattle grazing methods. He was extremely approachable and students enjoyed talking with him. Our fourth annual Earth Week celebration also included an Education Expo, highlighting displays of student work related to sustainability, a Food Fair featuring organic and locally grown food, and the sale of plants grown by Upper School botany students.

5 This past January we completed our 7th annual electronic waste drive, diverting nearly three tons of plastic, glass, metal, and dangerous chemicals from landfills and properly recycling it. A Monarch Butterfly Project was successfully introduced into Lower School science classes (Grades 1 3). A goal of the project was to turn the Lower School garden into a certified pollinator habitat by working with Monarchs Across Georgia. In addition, Lower School parents purchased milkweed plants for their yards, which are the Monarch s sole food source.

6 We had three successful Walk to School/Green Commute Days where hundreds of students walked, biked, or carpooled to school. Guided by two members of the science department, Evan Maynard converted a dilapidated, gas-powered golf cart into this sleek, solar-powered model for his senior project. We established the Lovett Environmentally Responsible Investment Group (LERIG), composed of eight students, Grades 10 12, who researched socially responsible investments that specifically avoid companies that produce, distribute, or market fossil fuels. The students did a superb job presenting their findings to several Trustees and members of the Business Office on April 16. As a result, an endowment fund has been created by two generous, anonymous donors to generate money that LERIG will be able to invest, subject approval by Trustees on the Endowment Committee.

7 Students recycled their used books, notebook paper, old binders, and other school supplies when they cleaned out their lockers at the end of the year. A great deal of waste that would have ended up in a landfill was successfully diverted and recycled. Campus Improvements New, uniform, color coded recycling and trash containers have been purchased and installed in all classrooms, offices, and public indoor spaces on campus. We also have designated containers for recycling pizza boxes. And, thanks to a gift from a generous patron, variable speed pumps have been installed in the Upper School, which will save energy by enabling us to regulate the speed with which hot or cool air is circulated throughout that facility. Lovett s Physical Plant and Housekeeping staffs continued to support our sustainability program by composting and recycling waste, using green cleaning products, and producing biodiesel fuel from used kitchen grease. Approximately 1,600 pounds of homemade biodiesel have been used to power maintenance vehicles on campus.

8 Dining Services added another dimension to its model sustainability program. We now are composting all food waste (including meat and bones), paper products (napkins, plates, and cups) and compostable utensils from all meals served in the Dining Hall and Lions Den Cafe. We are in the process of installing charging stations for four electric vehicles in the parking deck.

9 Partnerships Lovett is the first (and only) school in Georgia to become a charter member of the Green Schools Purchasing Consortium, a group of 28 schools that collectively purchased more than 25 million kwh of renewable energy. Lovett has purchased Renewable Energy Certificates through Atlanta-based Sterling Planet to offset 25 percent of its 2013 electricity consumption. We also are working with Keep My Planet Green, an affiliate of Sterling Planet, to provide Lovett families with an opportunity to purchase carbon offsets for their cars and for home electricity consumption.

10 With the able assistance of Eco-Metrix Environmental Management, we have: Developed a Sustainability Operating Plan that details the cost, annual savings, ROI, and carbon emissions reduction for a dozen prospective capital improvements to buildings and facilities on our campus Completed a comprehensive Waste Stream Analysis Completed a Solar Power Feasibility Study Completed an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Study Thank You The Lovett Sustainability Program wishes to acknowledge and thank the following people who have labored tirelessly to advance the program: Faculty and Staff Jim Crowley Joe DeLuca Dianne Husmann Mike Lanning David Meriwether Billy Peebles Stacie Penland Alex Reynolds Jeff Rountree Nancy Spetnagel Sarah Spiers Meredith Statler Sandra Switzer Sue Wingate Sustainability Advisory and Outreach Board Glenn Cartledge Jeff Dinkle Bill Dunkel Chris Dunn Alan Gray Jim Mahoney David Meriwether Ira Pearl Billy Peebles Brian Scales Kashi Sehgal Laura Seydel Sandra Switzer John Wells Upper School Green Team Audrey Jackson, president Meredith Bond Tori Cole Camilla Grayson Max Hart Elena Hartley Emily Johnson Kate Marino Michael Moore Daijha Mossen Courtney Muller Gray Leake Harrison Lyle Peter Nalle Emma Pollard Lauren Rausaw Lauren Reeves Anna White Cammy Wooddall

11 Additional and special thanks to the students who were regular members of the Upper School and Middle School Green Teams, teachers who integrated sustainability lessons into the curriculum, staff who supported our efforts, and all those who donated time and money to the Lovett Sustainability Program.

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