“I am excited about certifying Prospect Sierra as a new Green Business because not only are you taking environmental leadership in your community, but because of the potential environmental impact your school has on the students and their families.”
Robin Bedell-Waite, director
Contra Costa County Green Business Program
The Green Schools Initiative was co-founded by Prospect Sierra parent Deborah Moore and has provided a lot of support for our efforts.
In July 2006, Prospect Sierra passed all its audits and is now certified as a Green Business by the Contra Costa County Green Business Program. We are joining more than 650 other Bay Area businesses that are striving to reduce the environmental impacts of their activities. We had to pass audits by PG&E on energy use, EBMUD on water use and storm drain runoff, and Contra Costa waste management agencies on solid and hazardous waste management. We also won 2 recycling awards this year from the West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority: The $1,200 Grand Prize to Tapscott and the $1,000 First Prize to Avis!
Beyond the certifications and awards, the deep meaning of this work is that our school and our kids are creating tangible, positive change to protect the environmental health of our school, our community, and our planet. All these steps add up to make our air clean, our water clear, our forests green, and our climate more stable.
Q: What is a certified Green Business?
A: The Bay Area Green Business Program is a partnership of environmental agencies and utilities that assists, recognizes and promotes businesses and government agencies that volunteer to operate in a more environmentally responsible way. To be certified "green," participants must be in compliance with all regulations and meet program standards for conserving resources, preventing pollution and minimizing waste. Actions could include using more efficient lighting, purchasing in bulk, watering landscapes efficiently, recycling cardboard, using less toxic products, etc. The Program offers motivated businesses and agencies an easy-to-use framework for improving environmental performance. Over 725 businesses and public agencies have been certified since 1996. The Association of Bay Area Governments coordinates the Program, which is implemented by Green Business Coordinators in 7 participating counties.
Q: What did Prospect Sierra have to do to get certified?
A: Prospect Sierra contacted the Contra Costa County Green Business Program Coordinator, Robin Bedell-Waite. She provided us with a framework, a set of standards to meet, and a checklist of actions the school could take in four specific areas: conserve energy, conserve water, reduce waste, and prevent pollution. She also coordinated appointments with auditors for each of those four areas from Pacific Gas and Electric (energy), East Bay Municipal Utility District (water), and West Contra Costa Integrated Waste Management Authority (solid waste), and Contra Costa Hazardous Materials (pollution prevention).
The standards are flexible, and offer a range of specific actions that can be taken in each category. Over the course of the last few years, Prospect Sierra has:
Q: How long did it take to get certified?
A: The process of submitting the application and performing the audits took about four months. The environmental management practices were undertaken over a few years, and are ongoing.
Q: What other efforts is Prospect Sierra undertaking to “green” the school and the surrounding community?
A: Prospect Sierra continues to examine its resource uses and waste management practices, as well as integrating the efforts into the curriculum at various grade levels. Students continue to manage the recycling and composting programs, and working the garden at the Tapscott campus. We are examining possibilities for gardening at the Avis campus. Students may undertake an analysis of the school’s “carbon footprint,” as a first step in evaluating other options for reducing the school’s impact. Kindergartners and Fifth Graders plant trees as part of efforts to restore habitat on EBMUD and Canyon Trail Park (City of El Cerrito) lands. Eighth graders, and others, are working at Eco-Village Farm Center in Richmond to help provide a place for kids to learn about environmental and social justice issues.
Q: How can I find out more about the Green Business Program?
A: You can visit the Bay Area Green Business Program’s website or click on the logo to the right.
Q: Who is involved with the "greening" of Prospect Sierra?
A: Improving the environmental performance of Prospect Sierra has been a community-wide effort and an important part of our Service Learning Program (could add link to SL web page here). Students and teachers, together with parents and the Director of Service Learning, have spearheaded efforts to analyze ways that our school could reduce waste and to implement new ideas and practices - from garbage audits to gardening, from dramatic skits to painting birds, from the lifecycle of worms to on-line ecological footprint quizzes, from junk mail to handmade recycled-paper cards. A Green Team was formed in 2005, with teachers, parents, school administrators, the facility manager, and some students, and has helped to coordinate these efforts. The Board of Trustees' Building and Grounds Committee has planned and managed the design and construction of new buildings and the solar panel array. The office staff and business staff have helped to identify and purchase environmentally-preferable products, to manage the cost implications of "greening," to manage changes to the school lunch program and recycling, and to coordinate school-wide efforts like Earth Day activities. The Parent Association has supported these efforts with small grants, organizing parent forums and outside speakers, volunteering in class and teaching electives, and communicating and publicizing the activities and accomplishments. The "greening" of our school has strengthened our sense of community, enlivened our mission, and given us a great sense of pride!
