By Kathryn Cross
Staff Writer
The Manhattan Beach Unified School District’s Green committee and various green initiatives have especially contributed to the new green efforts, including increased wellness, environmental education, and energy conservation efforts within MBUSD schools.
Green committee chairs Cathey Graves and Mariel Waller along with MBUSD Superintendent Michael Matthews formed the committee in October 2014. The Green committee is comprised of district personnel, Beach Cities Health District, local organizations Growing Great and Grades of Green, Waste Management, principals, and Parent Teachers Association representatives from all MBUSD schools.
“The Green committee’s major initiative has been trying to coordinate all of our green efforts,” Matthews said. “Since its creation, we’ve seen that our environmental efforts have been more coordinated and our relationships with Waste Management and the City of Manhattan Beach have been strengthened as well.”
Since the green committee’s meeting, Graves, Waller, and Matthews have been working with committee members to coordinate district-wide efforts, through taking steps, such as planting foliage across MBUSD schools to promote environmental awareness and reduce waste, energy use, and energy costs.
“Given the significant drought situation in California as well as the increasing costs of waste disposal and scarce energy resources, green is not only a current trend but essential to maintain the financial integrity of our schools,” Graves said. “Teaching children good environmental practices makes our students good citizens of not only MBUSD but the world.”
Grandview Elementary School was recognized on April 23 as one of 78 United States Green Ribbon Schools. According to the U.S. Department of Education, a school is awarded a green award for demonstrating reduced environmental impact and costs, improved health and wellness of students and staff, and efficient environmental education, which specializes in civic skills, Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics, and green career pathways.
“In order to meet the standards of the green ribbon awards, the MBUSD board hired Cenergistic, an energy conservation company, to monitor and reduce electricity use, greenhouse gases, and water use and Grades of Green to conduct eco-audits at each school,” Graves said. “We have used the information gathered from these entities to help us complete the Green Ribbon Award application and guide our Green Committee meetings.”
According to Graves, the Green committee plans to meet as a quarterly committee to brainstorm projects that support the Green committee’s funding. For example, one of the Green committee’s latest projects includes working with Waste Management and the city of Manhattan Beach to divert food waste to energy conversion and to purchase renewable energy in the districts.
“The Green Committee has to be creative in recognizing limited funds and schools that have many needs,” Graves said. “We are looking to the district, parents, the city of Manhattan Beach and community partners to continue to fund our initiatives.”
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