The BDS Green Team

Faculty members Leigh Maimone, Ellen Andrick, Kathy Jo Solomon, Dean Spencer and Carol Cirillo have made a commitment to help the school go green. They represented BDS at a recent workshop on Sustainability and the Role of Independent Schools held at St. Mark's School in Southborough. The workshop stressed the importance of developing new habits of mind and embracing a systems-based, ecological approach to the world. Topics included land and water management, energy and green building, curriculum development and experiential education.

Greening it Up!
The commitment to greening has taken hold throughout the BDS community. Parents, trustees and faculty have formed a Greening Committee which works in concert with the Buildings and Grounds Committee to develop strategies and implement policies to further the greening effort. The 2007 Parents' Association Auction raised funds for the school's greening efforts. The Class of 2008 will be dedicating part of its class gift to help fund the school's greening initiatives.

Greening Highlights
Faculty introduced a major curricular unit on global warming in the seventh grade.

Middle school students and faculty are working together to create an organic garden. Their composting system will divert food waste from the landfill to the garden. A crop of winter rye will further prepare the soil for its first planting next spring.

Our pools are more environmentally-friendly. Last summer chlorine use was reduced by 60% and the storage of chlorine onsite was eliminated by converting to a brine and ionization system.

The school's paper recycling program has been expanded.

Want to learn more?
Check out the Friday Notice for news about greening Belmont Day or ask a member of the Green Team!