In recent years, the global community has taken special interest in environmental issues, striving to make the world a greener place. This train of thought has resonated with students and administrators, who have been asking themselves: “How do we begin to make the school greener?”
The answer? The green team.
The members of this commission, seniors Mac Hyde, Anshu Siripurapu, Ruchie Bhardwaj, Zara Sheikh and Priyanka Arunkumar, collaborate with the school board and administrators to implement school-wide measures.
Over the summer, Bhardwaj and Arunkumar were involved in a separate green team between Los Gatos and Saratoga High. Assistant principal Karen Hyde talked to them about creating a “super” green team with other students.
The commission decided to get together a group of green-minded students together to tackle a variety of ideas.
The team, created last December, has had an impact throughout campus, acquiring more recycling bins for the school, proposing thermal pool heating to the school board and using smart meters to track the school’s energy use.
This team has adopted a proactive attitude on “greenness.” While still promoting eco-friendly habits such as “reduce, reuse, recycle,” team members have also advanced to more complex issues that play an integral role in student life.
“So far, my favorite project has been implementing thermal pool heating because we were able to present to the board and talk with the superintendent to get estimates on the cost,” Arunkumar said. “We have gone pretty far with that project.”
The proposition is still being processed by the school board, but the green team hopes to make the idea a reality.
Part of the team’s effectiveness lies in its connections with the school board, which is able to provide realistic perspectives on prospective measures.
The green team is planning to hold another meeting, a “Green Tea,” to brainstorm new ideas and lay out plans for the new school year.
“We intend to hold another Green Tea before we set our minds on anything,” Arunkumar said.
This year, the Green Team hopes to raise more awareness regarding the environmental impact students have.
“I think everyone needs to take a part in making our school more green,” Arunkumar said. “Anyone interested in helping the school is welcome to join the effort.”