Schools Get Some Green For Going Green

By Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan)

On June 5, 2012, ten schools located in the (CVUSD) and/or Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) boundaries will be certified as Green Ribbon Schools for the 2011/12 school year. Certifications will be presented by the CVSan Board of Directors at the 6:30 p.m. regular meeting of the Board.

In October 2007, CVSan launched the Green Ribbon Schools Program to guide schools towards sustainable implementation of waste reduction and recycling programs. Application highlights include:

• Award Structure - Awards are based on a $1,500 flat rate plus add-ons for school size and “extra credit” for additional activities completed and excellence in diversion. Awards range from $1,600 to $2,775.
• Activities - Schools must complete a minimum of 30 activities in the categories of the 4Rs (Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rot), Environmental Education, and Administration and Promotion.
• Diversion - Schools must achieve a minimum diversion rate of 50 percent.
• Garbage Reductions - Schools must generate no more than a specified amount of garbage based on the total student enrollment at that school, or reduce garbage by at least 10 percent.

The following ten schools applied and will be certified and rewarded for their efforts with the corresponding award amounts:

1.

$1,815

2.

$1,820

3.

$1,830

4.

$1,870

5.

$1,905

6.

$1,940

7.

$1,945

8.

$2,095

9.

$2,405

10.

$2,485

Total 2011/12 Green Ribbon Awards:

$20,110*

In addition to receiving a cash award for their efforts to “go green,” all Green Ribbon schools will receive:

• A banner made from recycled plastic (and it’s recyclable too!) for first-year schools and those that requested a new banner, or a current year patch for the remaining schools.

All seventeen public and private schools located within the CVSan and/or CVUSD boundaries were eligible to participate. For more information and to view the application, please visit www.cvsan.org/schools.

Additionally, the following schools received donations this school year from CVSan to promote recycling and food scrap recycling in their schools. Donations are funded by various grants.

School

Amount

For

Canyon Middle

$999.00

Indoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Castro Valley Adult

$309.00

Indoor recycling containers & signs.

Castro Valley Elementary

$699.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Castro Valley High

$970.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Chabot Elementary

$725.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & containers & signs.

Creekside Middle

$1,047.00

Indoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Independent Elementary 

$2,033.00

Outdoor recycling containers & signs.

Jensen Ranch Elementary

$938.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling containers.

Marshall Elementary

$2,231.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Palomares Elementary

$338.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Proctor Elementary

$909.00

Indoor recycling containers & signs.

Redwood Alternative High

$442.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling containers & signs.

Stanton Elementary

$968.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling containers & signs.

 Vannoy Elementary

$60.00

Indoor recycling & organics containers & signs.

Participating Earth Day event schools received a total of 52.5 cubic yards of compost and 106 cubic yards of mulch.

As a result of our collective work, Castro Valley schools now recycle and compost (divert) 66 percent of what used to be thrown away as garbage!  Together, we are making significant strides towards our goal of 75 percent diversion and beyond.