August 29th, 2008 · No Comments

In Clackamas, Oregon, the green-conscious high school was designed to meet LEED Silver standards early on, saving money and energy, but more impressive perhaps is its school curricula and outreach programs – particularly those of environmental science teacher Rod Shroufe.

For instance, Shroufe’s class oversees a community-wide cellphone-battery recycling program, as well as the school’s on-site recycling program.

“We also do all the sustainability education and management of the outdoor components of the school,” he says, including maintaining and monitoring wetlands on the property which were built as a natural filter for the school’s gray water. “That is the way to go. All the new subdivisions are designed so that the surface water drains into wetlands. They’re the natural filters, they keep rivers and streams clean. Fifty years from now, the water systems we have now will be archaic.”

Also, Shroufe and his kids literally get green (thumb’ed) on a regular basis:

“In the seven years I’ve been at Clackamas, we’ve planted 35,000 native trees and plants in the community – not just at the school (this is part of a community-wide watershed restoration project). And we’ve planted probably no less than 3,000 on our grounds. …. Last year the Kiwanis Club donated 50 trees to us, so we put in an orchard with those, and this fall, adjacent to that, we’re going to put in raised garden beds and start building a sustainable gardening for the community.

“We’ll be bringing in older people in the community who know these things to work with the kids – we’ll draw from this wealth of wisdom around us.

In general, Shroufe says, they are taking the school green is a holistic approach, integrating the town’s people and the student body, and creating programs that unite them.

“Our goal is to reach out and bring the community into the school. That’s a big part of being a green school. I don’t think people should say they can’t be green just because they don’t have a green building.”

And whether the building is “green” or not, a school with a progressive eco-philosophy is good for the locals on multiple levels.

“You’re doing something that environmentally makes a difference, you’re teaching kids something new, and you’re getting your community truly involved with the school. Those two shouldn’t be separate.”

Shroufe’s colleague at the opposite end of the geologic spectrum –- down at Desert Edge in Arizona –- agrees whole-heartedly.

But there’s one thing John Schmadeke has noticed that makes as much difference as any high-efficiency, energy-saving plan or product — and that is that green schools change students’ behavior. He sites recycling as an example.

“Every classroom has a recycling container — and the kids pick up on this stuff so quickly and so well. They know what’s right and what they should be doing,” and they’ll do it, Schmadeke says, if given the right opportunity and shown the right example.

“It’s very encouraging, we’re creating this next generation of environmentally minded people. Our parents were about being frugal and not wasting things, and somewhere along the line we lost that. But this new generation gives me hope.”

(Photo credits: Agua Fria school district)

Copyright © 2008 | Distributed by Noofangle Media

Pages: 1 2 3