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Success Story: Carl Sandburg Elementary School
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Carl Sandburg Elementary
School bulletin board that shows what can and can’t be recycled at school. |
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Earth Hero at School Award
Susan Vossler, parent volunteer, receives award in April 2011.
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School District: Lake Washington
School Location: Kirkland
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: October 2007
Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2009
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in May 2011
Waste Reduction and Recycling
- The school increased its recycling rate from 18 percent to 43 percent in 2009.
- The recycling rate increase was due to educating students and staff about recycling, changing from disposable polystyrene lunch trays to reusable baskets, and adding milk cartons to the lunchroom recycling program.
- Recycling containers were added to each classroom for paper, plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
- Recycling containers also are set out at every school event, such as the carnival.
- Parent and student volunteers created a bulletin board listing the do’s and don’ts of recycling. They also conducted classroom presentations about why recycling is important, what materials can be recycled and ways to reduce waste at lunch. In addition, students and parents placed recycling stickers on all recycling containers.
- Articles were written for the PTA newsletter and presentations were made at PTA and staff meetings about waste reduction and recycling.
- The Green Schools team at Carl Sandburg conducted informal classroom recycling bin audits to find out how well teachers and students were recycling. When they found recyclable materials in garbage containers or items in the recycling containers that could not be recycled, classes were reminded about what items can be recycled.
- The school held a Waste Free Wednesday competition to raise awareness about waste reduction. Students measured garbage and tracked how much garbage was diverted from the landfill.
- The school participated in the King County elementary school assembly program and classroom workshops.
- Signs were placed on photocopy machines to promote double-sided photocopying.
- The school newspaper is sent via email, which saves at least one ream of paper per week.
- A Washington Department of Ecology award and PTSA funding helped purchase reusable party ware for classroom parties and environmental books for the school library.
- Sandburg worked with the Lake Washington School District to establish a “no-idle zone” in 2010.
Energy Conservation
- The school community’s energy conservation practices decreased energy use at the school by 25 percent and received recognition from the district for this achievement.
- Through classroom presentations, bulletin boards, and staff reminders, the green team promoted energy conservation actions, including turning off lights and electronic equipment when not in use.
- Guest speakers from Puget Sound Energy and other organizations provided classroom presentations on energy conservation and how energy use impacts salmon.
- The Earth’s Helpers Club signed an energy conservation pledge and placed stickers on all light switches to encourage turning off lights in unoccupied rooms.
- Doors to classrooms are kept closed to maintain heat since hallways are not heated.
- Energy saving devices, such as vending misers, compact fluorescent bulbs and occupancy sensors, were installed by the school resource conservation manager.
Awards
- The school won district recognition for decreasing energy use by 25 percent.
- Parent Susan Vossler received a King County Earth Hero at School Award in April 2011.
Comments
“The Sandburg-DCS community takes great pride in being a Green School. We are very grateful for the assistance provided by our district resource conservation manager and our King County Green Schools representative, who helped us achieve Level One in 2009 and Level Two in 2011.” – Susan Vossler, parent
For more information about this school’s participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:
Susan Vossler, parent
vosslerm1@comcast.net
Christi Damico, parent
Christi.damico@comcast.net
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