montgomery county public schools school energy and recycling team
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Montgomery County Public Schools School Energy and Recycling Team. Sustainable Schools LEA FACILITY PLANNERS MEETING Thursday, May 2, 2013 Paint Branch High School It’s your world…choose to conserve. - PowerPoint PPT PresentationTRANSCRIPT
Montgomery County Public Schools
School Energy and Recycling Team
Sustainable SchoolsLEA FACILITY PLANNERS MEETING
Thursday, May 2, 2013Paint Branch High School
It’s your world…choose to conserve.
Sustainability Principle
Everything that we need for our survival and well-being depends, either directly or indirectly, on our natural environment. Sustainability creates and maintains the conditions under which humans and nature can exist in productive harmony, that permit fulfilling the social, economic and other requirements of present and future generations.
http://www.epa.gov/sustainability/basicinfo.htm.
Balancing social, economic, and environmental systems, to benefit and protect our future can be achieved by considering the effects of our decisions, purchases, plans, and practices.
US Department of Education Green Ribbon Program
2012 ED-Green Ribbon Schools: Francis Scott Key Middle School One of 78 winning schools
2013 ED-Green Ribbon Schools: Cedar Grove Elementary School Summit Hall Elementary School
Two of 54 public schools awarded federal Green Ribbon School Award. (10 privates)
2013 Green District Award: Montgomery County Public Schools
One of 14 districts awarded
StewardshipEnvironmental stewards strive to
sustain natural resources and our environment for future generations.
School Energy and Recycling Team
The mission of the School Energy and Recycling Team (SERT) program is to significantly reduce energy and water consumption and increase recycling rates system wide through:
• sustainability training and education;• incentives, recognition, and award programs for conservation;• accessible energy, water, and recycling data;• individual sustainability programs for energy and environmental investigation-based learning opportunities; and • conservation operations and procedures.
School Energy and Recycling Team (SERT)—MCPS recognizes that significant energy savings can be achieved when school-based staff and students engage in responsible energy behavior.
In our schools:
Engaging Occupants
The SERT program educates and supports the efforts of school-based teams in all schools to reduce energy consumption and increase recycling.
School Resources Activity Packets
• Welcome to SERT• Energy Audit• Elementary Integrated
Curriculum 2.0• Read Alouds, assemblies,
videos, activities ,and games Contests
• Watt’s Up? Power to Save Poster (K-8)
• Lead by Example: Energy and Recycling Awareness Campaign (6-12)
• Recycling Spirit (secondary)
Northwest HS wins Recycling Spirit Contest
MCPS SERT WebsiteValuable Resources:• Data• Activities• Best Practices• News• SERT Flash• Forms• Recycling• Achievements• Contests• Posters• Flyers• Twitter - SERTMCPS• [email protected]
Energy and Recycling Data
Awards are granted based on performance and demonstrated savings
Energy Cost Avoidance (kWh)
2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 2011-12$0
$500,000
$1,000,000
$1,500,000
$2,000,000
$2,500,000
$3,000,000
$631,811
$1,388,743
$2,150,936
$2,496,967 $2,548,467 $2,446,596 $2,443,042
SERT Energy Cost Avoidance
Carbon Footprint Reduction
Recycling Responsibly
Interior and Exterior Recycling
Exterior recycling bins provide opportunities to recycle outside of the building for staff, students, and community users.
Interior recycling stations provide students, staff, and community users with comprehensive station which allows all building users to make the right choice.
Curriculum Environmental Science Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math
◦ K-12◦ K-Describe observable changes in water on
the surface of the Earth◦ 3-Recognize and explain how Earth’s natural
resources from the natural environment are used to meet human needs
◦ 3-Explain that some of natural resources are limited and need to be used wisely
Outdoor Education Program – collaborative relationships
Contests and activities that tie into curriculum◦ Lead-by-Example (8th Grade)◦ Watts Up? (K-12)◦ Recycling Spirit (6-12)
Like-minded community partnerships
Environmental Science Incorporating SunEdison solar
direct connect site to study amount of energy produced on MCPS schools.
High school students are learning about site design and sustainability
Lead by Example – Contest used in 8th grade classrooms
SGA and Green Teams in all schools
User-Friendly Interface
Curriculum Connections◦ Decision making—social impacts◦ Natural Capitalism – incorporating
the environment impacts of business and services
◦ Recycling◦ Water conservation◦ Relationships that underlie the
systems of the natural and physical world
◦ Innovations assessed through technological literacy
◦ Engineering developing green portable classroom lesson
◦ Science – carbon and water cycle – imbalances?
◦ Technology allows innovations to be tested – cutting edge
Systemwide Strategies Commit and dedicate Brand it – plan it– present
it – talk about it – publish it – incentivize participation
Create credibility to receive buy-in and commitment from the top
Establish buy-in from front line employees ◦ (easier, more-productive,
less waste) Know peoples’ motivators Reward and recognize
sustainable efforts Integrate sustainability into
the curriculumRecycled Content Playground
Paint Branch High School
Maryland Association of Environmental Outdoor Education (MAEOE) Green Schools
SERT is a certified “Green Center” SERT provides support to schools applying for Green School Certification with:
◦Professional Development◦Community Partnerships◦Best Management Practices◦Conservation classroom
activities, lessons, and outreach
Education and Awareness
Solar Powered Water FountainBack-to-School Fair 2011
Hillary KirchmanSERT Program ManagerMCPS Department of Facilities Management
Hydroponic GardensPaint Branch High School