A New Sustainability Initiative by Lauren Winkler More than twenty five years ago, when I was living in Germany, I noticed that nearly all drivers turned off their vehicle engines when stopped at a traffic light. It was one of many cultural differences I observed that sparked my curiosity. A German friend explained, while pointing out a young mother pushing her bundled baby in a sturdy pram, that this was done “for the air, for everyone, but mostly for the children!” According to the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) hazardous air pollutants emitted from vehicles, also known as mobile air toxics, have the potential for serious adverse health effects, including cancer, respiratory illness and birth defects. Children are particularly susceptible to air pollution and these risks for several reasons. Their smaller stature exposes them to higher concentrations of vehicle emissions that […]
Batteries are Everywhere…
And according to the EPA, Americans throw away more than 86,000 tons of disposable alkaline batteries each year — which if placed end-to-end “would circle the world at least six times.” What can we do? Using rechargeable batteries can help reduce the amount of batteries that are thrown away. Rechargeable batteries don’t last forever, but they can be recharged 500 to 1000 times. This means that each rechargeable battery can potentially save 499 disposable batteries from being thrown away! In the IT Office, we buy a lot of batteries to help support the many devices on Stone Ridge’s campus – and we are committed to switching completely to rechargeable batteries this year. We started the Battery Bar – a place for teachers and staff who need a charged-up battery to come by and grab one, and return used-up rechargeable batteries […]
Catching Rainwater Keeps Rock Creek Clean!
As you drive or walk around our beautiful 35 acre campus, you might ask yourself, “why does Stone Ridge have so many landscaped swells in the ground?” If so, this article is for you! The landscaped swells in the ground are stormwater retention ponds. In Montgomery County, Maryland, when you construct any new building or add a parking lot you are removing permeable surface, where water can soak into the soil. So the law says that you must install stormwater retention ponds to compensate. The size of the stormwater retention pond is calculated based on the size of the roof structure or parking lot, so that they can hold all of the extra rainwater that falls on these surfaces and runs off. The cost of designing, constructing and maintaining stormwater retention ponds must be calculated into any new construction project […]
Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF
While enjoying all the festivities of Halloween, Middle School students sponsored a school wide fundraising event to support Trick-or-Treat for UNICEF, adding some deeper meaning to their Halloweening. UNICEF, the United Nations International Children’s Emergency Fund, initiated its first Trick-or-Treat event in 1950 to help children left vulnerable after World War II. Popularity of the program continued to grow, and was fueled by TV appearances in 1959 on Lassie, when the beloved collie carried an orange collection box, and in 1969 when an entire episode of Bewtiched highlighted the cause. In the 1990’s, famous poet and writer, Maya Angelou, served as the organization‘s Ambassador. Funds collected in 2002 were dedicated to the eradication of polio. More recently, in 2015, the 65th anniversary of Trick-or Treat for UNICEF was celebrated by teaming up with Charlie Brown, Snoopy and the rest of […]
Stone Ridge Bikes!
Each year, June 3 is UN World Bike Day – a day dedicated by the UN to celebrating bicycles and biking! “World Bicycle Day draws attention to the benefits of using the bicycle — a simple, affordable, clean and environmentally fit sustainable means of transportation.” –United Nations Montgomery County hopes that biking will become a daily means of transportation that can help achieve local sustainability goals and improve our lives and health. Stone Ridge 5th graders celebrated World Bike Day by learning about biking around the world and bike safety, and practicing bike maintenance and tuning. In the sunny late morning, they took to Rock Creek Trail for a 5-mile group bike ride.
Summer CampUs is for Nature Lovers
Stone Ridge Summer CampUs encourages all campers to “choose their own adventure” for the summer. Often this means campers take camp classes that embrace the natural beauty of our own campus (Eco Art & Nature’s Crafts) as well as classes that take advantage of our local Rock Creek Park and surrounding natural areas (Wilderness Survival Camp/Adventure Camps). Campers who are interested in sustainability can feed their interests by taking classes such as Solar Power Playhouse and Gator Bike Shop. Campers who are interested in both engineering and nature are taking the class “STEM in the Wild”. Upper School students have the opportunity to take “Environmental Field Studies” in which they will conduct studies to look at wildlife species populations, stream water quality, soil analysis, and more, to learn how humans interact with their environment both positively and negatively.
Summer Environmental Field Studies
Each summer, Stone Ridge Environmental Sciences teacher Casey Robertson brings her classroom outdoors for Stone Ridge’s 3-week Environmental Field Studies program. Any high schoolers looking to spend some time outside learning about the environment, wildlife, and habitats can apply for this Summer CampUs experience. In this 3-week lab and field studies based course, students conduct hands-on activities to look at wildlife species populations, stream water quality, soil analysis, and more! Some past activities have included banding baby ospreys, restoring wetlands, creating track plates, setting wildlife cameras, and tracking down box turtles with GPS! No previous biology or environmental science experience required – all it takes is an enthusiasm for life and an appreciation of the natural world!
The Lower School in Action: Carbon Footprint
The “Big Foot” game In the Lower School, Bess and Elinor (grade 4) are working on the “Big Foot Game”: an adaptation of the Carbon Footprint game created by the Unitarians for Social Justice to assist congregations in taking steps to reduce their carbon footprint. The goal of the game is to cover as much of a big cardboard footprint with green “action-stickers” as possible. Bess and Elinor are working on the stickers: they decided they should only include actions that a Lower School girl could take independently. The big foot will stay in the STEAM room. The lower school girls will have opportunities to choose the sticker(s) they think they have earned over the past few days, by taking a new action or renewing one. They will stick them to the foot, thus turning it greener every day. Everyone […]
Where does it go? SR recycling & compost
Sorting waste into the correct bin helps to keep recyclable and compostable material out of landfills. Preventing waste from getting to landfills, by finding ways to reduce, reuse, recycle, or rot (compost) is the most effective way to achieve zero waste.