GBK Green Committee

January 10, 2008

Presentation to
Parent’s Association
 Formation of Green
Committee
Arose out of GBK community’s
desire to go “green” & promote
global citizenship

✏ Meet on 1st Thursday of month at 3:45 p.m.

✏ First meeting in November, 2007
✏ Comprised of students, teachers, custodial
staff and parents
 Green Committee Goals
✏ Completion of GBK Sustainability Audit
✏ Completion of GBK Community
Sustainability Survey
✏ Work with Board to revise Mission
Statement to include GBK’s
commitment to sustainability
✏ Research, recommend & implement
green projects
 Sustainability Audit
✏ Establishes baseline carbon emissions &
resource consumption
✏ Most data collection & analysis incorporated
into curriculum
✏ City Green Business Program a primary tool
✏ Results in specific green project
recommendations
✏ Completion scheduled for end of January, 2008
 Community Sustainability
Survey
✏ Developed to determine parental
attitudes toward & willingness to
participate in greening effort
✏ Also used to begin dialogue on school
community buy-in
✏ Will primarily be conducted
electronically
✏ Completion scheduled for February,
2008
 Revision of Mission
Statement
✏ Mission Statement no longer accurately
reflects school’s identity with regard to
sustainability

✏ Committee will suggest phrases to be

incorporated

✏ Committee will work with Board on

revision during the Strategic Planning
process
 Major Projects under
Consideration
In addition to those occurring as part of the
Sustainability Audit,
other projects that are under consideration include:

✏ Ongoing, targeted conservation efforts

✏ On-site composting & educational gardening
✏ Adopt-a-Plant to improve indoor air quality
✏ Solar Water Heaters
✏ On-site Solar Energy generation
✏ Signature piece of artwork reflecting sustainability
commitment
 Sustainability Resources

✏ City Green Business Program

(We are the first Santa Cruz County
School working toward this
certification)
✏ PG&E!
✏ Ecology Action & Right Lights Program
✏ Other Schools’ progress
✏ Numerous websites devoted to this
topic
 How Do We Fund Projects?

✏ Conservation projects actually save us money

✏ Rebates available through PG&E, City and
various programs for converting to energy
efficient equipment
✏ Write grants for other projects (i.e. green
house/garden)
✏ Investor financing is an option for solar
energy
 And in Conclusion…

✏ We invite you to consider sustainability in

your own home
✏ If you are interested in helping out, please let
us know!
✏ Check out our happenings on the My Kirby
widget!