Northern New England Boarding Schools seeing "green"

Northern New England Boarding Schools seeing "green"

Several New England boarding schools have taken the challenge of "going green" to heart. Through a variety of individual initiatives and programs, the schools have recognized the need to imporove the environmental outlook of their students who will one day be faced with the challenges of finding resolutions to global warming, decreasing our carbon dioxide emissions and our reliance on fossil fuels. The schools, loacted in Vermont, Maine, and New Hampshire, are part of the Northern New England Boarding Schools consortium.

Taking the lead is Vermont Academy, a co-ed, 9-12 private school located in Saxtons River, VT. In August 2008, a 105 foot wind turbine was erected on the school's campus and is now ready to be placed into the school's power grid. The project, a collaboration of several seniors, was spearheaded by two young women - Savannah Pope '08 and Rachell Pelletier '08 - whose detailed plans included greenhouse gas estimates to governmental applications. The windmill is expected to generate 1400 kilowatt-hours per month and will cut the school's CO2 output by at least 5,000 pounds a year. With an estimate that the turbine will pay for itself in 15 years, the school expects to save an average of $2000 per year on its electrical costs.

From windmills we venture on to weather stations. Tilton School, located in Tilton, NH, has its very own weather stations which is also linked to television station WBZ in Boston. Located on the top of the school's new academic building, the weather station also has a roving camera that allows anyone with an internet connection to check out the weather conditions on campus.

Hebron Academy, located on a 1500 acre campus in Hebron, ME recently celebrated the installation of a new soccer/ lacross field made of natural sod. With fewer ecological issues than artificial turf, the new Olympic size field is expected to prevent fewer injuries during practices and games.

In an effort to save energy and curb food waste, Kents Hill School in Kents Hill, ME, has gone "trayless" in its dining hall. The concept was the brainchild of Environmental Studies chair Matthew Moore and a member of his Environmental Resource Use class. The new program saves the school water and energy costs along with a reduction in food waste.

For more information about the school, go to wherestarsshine.org