STRATEGIC PLAN FEATURE
Pathways to a Greener Campus Charting our progress in sustainability By the Sustainability Squad
T
he PCDS Strategic Plan highlights sustainability as a key area for improvement, and directs us to “commit to more environmentally-friendly campus practices.” As such, a group of faculty and staff have come together to form the Sustainability Squad, which meets regularly to pursue realistic and sustainable avenues for environmentally friendly practices and education.
SUSTAINABILITY SQUAD Roz Abero ’89 Assistant Head of School Tim Mitten Director of Campus Safety and Operations Hallie Mueller, Upper School Pete Saunders, Upper School Maki Fullerton, Middle School Elyse Gentile, Middle School Amy Hill, Lower School Andy McKean, Lower School Marian Florey, Parent Bryan McLaren ’05, Advisor
A Cultural Change: Eliminating the Plastic Water Bottle The group’s first priority this year was a simple one with both a tangible and symbolic impact: the elimination of single use plastic water bottles on campus. While convenient, these water bottles represent an enormous amount of plastic waste (see below for more information about the proliferation of single use plastic water bottles). In place of the pallets of plastic bottles used in years past, campus events and meetings now rely on large beverage dispensers with compostable cups. Over 50 water stations across campus offer convenient refills for those who bring their own bottles, and the US cafe has replaced plastic water bottles with water sold in aluminum bottles. While water bottles constitute a significant percentage of plastic trash, it doesn’t end there, and the group continues to work with our constituents on reducing other single use plastics on campus. “ I have lived in busy New York City, in quiet rural Pennsylvania, and now in the suburban desert. With such a contrast, I’ve noticed the profound effect that being outside has on me. I’ve spent large amounts of my free time hiking, scuba diving, free diving, etc., and seeing the effects that humans have had on the environment has made me more passionate about doing what I can to support its health. This is why I have spent so much time researching, participating in clubs, and raising awareness about environmental issues.” —Madison Angst ’24 “ My family and I compost at home. Instead of putting food scraps in the trash, we put them in our compost to be used for our vegetable garden. We also have easily accessible compost bins around the quad. It’s really important for students to work together to protect the environment, and it doesn’t take much to have a positive impact.” —Sonia Singh ’24
One million water bottles are bought around the world every minute, and more than half a trillion plastic bottles will be sold annually.
10 | PCDS THE BRIDGE
Recycling plastic isn’t a silver bullet—the majority of collected plastic recyclables have nowhere to go but landfills and oceans.
Of the 35 million tons of plastic waste the U.S. produces each year, 9% is recycled, 16% is incinerated, and 75% ends up in landfill.
A plastic bottle takes 500 years to degrade. For single-use convenience, aluminum and glass water bottles are now widely available in grocery stores.
