by Rama K. Ramaswamy
The Wellesley Green Schools group is a collaborative mix of students, parents, teachers and staff working together to reduce the negative ecological footprint of the Wellesley Public Schools and inspire people to create a healthy, sustainable world. According to Stephanie Hawkinson, Coordinator, Environmental Education and Outreach and Wellesley Natural Resources Commission, “the summit, held last week and it’s attendees provided a chance for discussion between different groups to share success stories about current green initiatives they’re working on, explore challenges they face and generate ideas for future collaborative projects to keep the green schools mission moving forward.”
At the Summit, Eric Magers, one of the guest speakers from Manchester/Essex Regional School District, highlighted his work. At Manchester Essex, Magers created a model whereby his 120+ student green team, instructed fellow students and teachers about personal environmental responsibility and civic accountability. Their instruction including the following: adopting a curriculum promoting environmental literacy, enriching students’ learning experience by developing 21st-century and e-STEAM skills, and strengthening local communities through student service-learning projects.
“The Green Schools group wanted to share his model to start conversations about possible programs that could be started in Wellesley schools,” Hawkinson said. Some of the accomplishments mentioned by Wellesley groups include the following:
• A walk-behind cleaner at Wellesley High School that provides neutral-cleaning (doesn’t use chemicals) and saves money on packaging and transportation (Facilities Management Dept).
• Gypsum board recycling at the RDF (Mike Pakskis - Director, Wellesley’s Department of Public Works)
• Projects with the Evolutions class at Wellesley High School to design a town Adopt-a-Tree campaign for seedlings and at risk trees, an aquaponics garden project, and a reusable bag design challenge for a Wellesley reusable bag that will be sold at Roche Bros.
• An outdoor learning pilot project at Bates Elementary school teaching 4th graders to use scientific techniques to observe and investigate changes in a specific outdoor area over a 9-month period.
In addition to these, there’s more going on. Ellen Korpi, Sustainable Energy Committee, is working on Waste Wise Wellesley, Power to Choose and the 3R working group. Sharon Grey, School Committee Chair for HHU, wants to work with SEC to make buildings have low carbon footprint. Hunnewell School plans to re-launch their green team there. Marybeth Martello, Sustainable Energy Committee, and Matthew Hornung are looking to create building guidelines in the future that will help the town meet it’s carbon reduction goals. Phyllis Theermann, Wellesley Green Schools, is working on green certifying and helping the WHS Evolutions Team work at solar on the WMS roof. “There is more in the pipeline,” promises Theermann, and encourages all to get involved.
For more information, visit: www.sustainablewellesley.com/wellesley-green-schools/
