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PARTNER SPOTLIGHT:
Greenhills School
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A long time Waste Knot partner, Greenhills School recently joined Community Partners for Clean Streams. Greenhills School opened in 1968 as an independent, co-education, non-denomination college preparatory school serving the Ann Arbor area. Although Greenhills was originally comprised of grades 7- 9, the private school now educates children in grades 7-12, with unique course options, extra-curricular opportunities and cross-curriculum learning experiences. Greenhills is a school of ideals and values, and in their mission statement describes their student body as “curious, creative, and responsible citizens who respect all individuals and their differences, and whose meaningful and balanced lives will better the world.” But bettering the world is not simply a lofty ideal for Greenhills faculty – it is an intention that their students put into action every day.
Greenhills’ environmental science curriculum reflects their departure from some traditional elementary education for more creative and hands-on approaches. 7th grade science teacher Ann Novak is a prime example of such innovative educational practices. Her students have been collecting water quality data from a stream on the school property for almost a dozen years, with the goal of answering the question: “How healthy is the stream behind our school, and do our actions on land impact the quality of the water?” Students are taught to measure and assess water quality, pH level, thermal pollution, as well as other earth science principles, and also to connect with the local community by formally presenting their findings each year. Novak elaborated on the goal of this assignment, stating that she wants students to “realize they are all members of a global community.” Novak also stressed the Greenhills goal of “trying to make connections across curriculum” by “working with colleagues…to develop long-term learning across grades.” The fruits of their labor can be seen in the science course offerings of upper grades. In 8th grade, students develop a “Sustainability Action Project,” allowing the students “to understand and investigate a community issue of their choosing that recognizes global importance” of the link between sustainability and energy. In grades 10-12, courses such as “Global Citizenship for a Sustainable Future” and “Ecology and Global Sustainability” are offered, ensuring that many students have a well-rounded knowledge of environmental issues.
In addition to their environmentally-friendly curriculum, Greenhills’ commitment to sustainability extends outside of the classroom. Service programs help engage students in hands-on environmental learning, including maintaining Greenhills trails, removing invasive plants at local parks, and the opportunity to volunteer in Costa Rica. Greenhills’ Green Roof, described as “an environmentally responsible feature above The Bill and Lisa Ford Wing for a Sustainable Future,” also functions as an outdoor laboratory for science classes, a reflection of Greenhills’ unique approach to education. The school also demonstrates its commitment to sustainability by the upkeep of their storm water detention basin and riparian buffer strip, minimizing the impact of their building on the surrounding land. The foundation of Greenhills – both physically and intellectually – is certainly based on the principles of stewardship, sustainability, and engaged citizenship, making them a fantastic addition to Community Partner for Clean Streams in 2016 and a valued Waste Knot partner since 2009!
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Greenhills School Green Roof
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HomeGrown Festival - A Community Zero Waste Model
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ANN ARBOR, MI - The 9th annual HomeGrown Festival held at the Ann Arbor Farmer’s Market on the evening of September 10th bustled with smiling faces and full bellies as members of the community were surrounded by local food, brew, and live music. HomeGrown Festival is a grassroots collaboration aimed at celebrating and spreading the word about our region’s locally produced food, drinks, music, and more. This free event also hosted a silent auction and several hands-on activities for children. Around 50 vendors, including NGO’s, chef vendors, beer and wine vendors, EduTainment, and local businesses, were able to attend and share their hard work with the estimated 3,000 people in attendance.
Amidst all the fun, the event was able to achieve a waste diversion rate of 92%. This means only 8% of materials disposed of were sent to the landfill; the rest were recycled or composted. To truly be considered Zero Waste, the diversion rate must be at least 90%. Over the past 5 years, HomeGrown has achieved a waste diversion rate over 90%, serving as an excellent example of how Zero Waste can be successful at large events. HomeGrown Festival committee member, Jason Frenzel, who is both an Ann Arbor City Council member and Environmental Commission member, points out that “ensuring that local events like HomeGrown Festival are Zero Waste, while a small step, is a necessary step in the right direction” in helping prevent environmental issues resultant from landfills and plastic waste that far too often ends up in our environment and oceans. Frenzel also stated that “by showing local restaurants and citizens, as well as the city, that events of this size can be Zero Waste, we hope those individuals and organizations will learn to move more (and hopefully completely) towards Zero Waste.”
Typically at special events that elect to be Zero Waste, Recycle Ann Arbor (RAA) or Zero Waste Washtenaw (ZWW) works with the event committee a few months prior to the event to ensure vendors and other attendees are on board with the requirements and goals of hosting a Zero Waste Event. Then, the program coordinators at RAA or ZWW[CC1] facilitate the collection of recyclable, compostable and landfill materials during and after the event. The HomeGrown Festival’s commitment to Zero Waste over the years has equipped their planning committee with the education necessary to begin implementing Zero Waste on their own! RAA now only gives minimal pre-event guidance, assists with volunteer recruitment, and is mostly only needed at the end of the event to collect, weigh, and dispose of the waste. The ability to achieve Zero Waste with minimal assistance is due to the efficient planning and commitment of the HomeGrown Festival committee and the cooperation of vendors in attendance. Ultimately, this model is what RAA and ZWW would like to see more events amount to for the long-term success of Zero Waste events.
Vendors used BPI-certified compostable service-ware and paper products to ensure that food and drink soiled products would be readily compostable. The main product sent to the landfill was empty ice bags, which unfortunately is just a flaw in our packaging system and bears no fault to the vendors or event-planners. As Zero Waste and Product Stewardship progress in our community and others, these types of problems can and will be solved with proactive planning and innovative alternatives[CC2] .
A huge thank you to the HomeGrown Festival planning committee, HomeGrown Festival on-the-ground volunteers, Recycle Ann Arbor, and the attendees of the event who all helped in diverting as much material as possible from the landfill. This event is run completely by volunteers and there is always room for more help! For more information on HomeGrown Festival, including how to become a volunteer at future events, please visit http://homegrownfestival.org/
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BAY COUNTY, MI- In August 2016, over 150 youth and 30 educators in Bay County participated in a rain barrel art project organized by Michigan State University Extension, Michigan Sea Grant and 4-H, which was funded by a Community Action Grant from the Saginaw Bay Watershed Initiative Network, The Andersons, Inc. and Bay County Farm Bureau. The project created an avenue for community members to come together to learn about water quality issues associated with run-off and how residents can play a role in reducing water pollution by having a rain barrel. Participants learned that stormwater flows over our impervious surfaces, such as parking lots, roads, and roofs, and picks up pollutants along the way to the nearest natural water source. Stormwater drains accommodate flow by directing water into nearby streams causing already contaminated sediment to be pushed downstream and delivering newly polluted run-off. Depending on the severity of the storm, the rush of water can cause severe physical erosion and harm aquatic habitats.
Fortunately, participants were also taught how rain barrels can help reduce polluted run-off. Capturing water in barrels prevents rainfall from collecting pollutants on paved surfaces and transporting them to waterways. Plus, reusing rainwater eliminates the need to use treated city water on gardens and lawns, with the added bonus that it lowers water bills! At the Bay County event, youth painted rain barrels to be put to use in their community at schools and public buildings. The artistic rain barrels were showcased at several locations in Bay City with educational signs prepared by the youth that explain what rain barrels are and their role in water conservation.
Now that you are inspired to have a rain barrel of your own, you can get FREE recycled plastic 55 gallon drums from the Saline Water Treatment Plant! The Saline Environmental Commission has a useful video explaining how to construct your own rain barrel using locally available products here. You can purchase completed rain barrels for $45. Contact information to obtain recycled barrels and/or completed rain barrels is available here. Also, check out information provided by the Huron River Watershed Council on ways you can protect our watershed and become an “h2o hero”!
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Photographs from E2P2 Nature Walk event,
September 13, 2016. Photo Credit: Linda Prieskorn
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