Manchester Essex High School Green Scholars Remove 300lbs of Litter from Local Beaches

by Isabella Hickey and Sarah Reed

On November 15, 2014, the Manchester Essex High School Green Scholars and Interns participated in Green Apple Day of Service. Scholars and Interns spent the day cleaning Black and White Beach located in Manchester, MA and Good Harbor Beach in Gloucester, MA. We met at Manchester Essex High School at 10am and continued to clean beaches until 2pm. Scholars found a lobster trap at Black and White Beach, and two lobster traps at Good Harbor. We collected a total of 1,888 pieces of garbage which included; cigarette butts, glass, plastic, fishing rope, soda cans, plastic bags, and many other items as well. Our total weight of garbage was approximately 200 pounds without the weight of the lobster traps. Our scholars found great happiness and success from cleaning the beaches, and once again of Green apple Day of Service was a great hit and achievement for our program.

Our efforts were highlighted in the Gloucester Times

Clark University Saves Energy through Behavior Change

by Eli Goldman

Clark University’s Climate Action Plan calls for our campus to become carbon neutral by 2030, something that we are well on track to achieving. While Clark has invested over $2 million in technology upgrades, continues to invest in technology improvements, and has two LEED certified buildings; there is no doubt that more can be done. Much of Clark’s campus depends on old buildings that are not ideal for energy conservation technology. These old buildings house most of the staff and departmental offices. Clark’s student body is very active in pursuing ways to conserve energy. We routinely perform Green Room and Green Office Audits, have a team of hard-working Eco Reps, and, with the help of USGBC MA and National Grid's Green Apple Day of Service Mini Grant, this student-managed initiative will provide a checklist designed to help our faculty and staff save energy in their offices through behavior change.


The ‘Energy Saver’ checklist is a simple tool that provides clear direction for behavior change. The checklist is embedded in a monthly calendar. Concise checklist items aimed at helping to promote energy awareness and energy reduction in offices all over campus include: turn off all lights, close window shades, and turn off space heaters, etc. The decision to present the checklist in a calendar format was made carefully. We see calendars almost daily. We are used to them. Because of their familiar format the calendar becomes a helpful aid in promoting behavior change. Also, using the format of a calendar allows for the checklist to be adapted to the season as energy conservation strategies change. 

The benefits of a checklist designed to help power down offices are impressive. Checklists allow for the individual to focus on his or her usual daily tasks without putting much thought into the bulleted list. Thus, time, money, and general effort can all be saved with the help of a good checklist. On Green Apple Day of Service, we distributed the calendar to Clark University’s 652 faculty and staff members. Faculty and staff who return all months of the supplied calendar with their checklist completed to Clark University’s office of sustainability will receive an honorable prize – lunch with our President, David Angel. The goal is to have a measurable impact on Clark’s Climate Action Plan goals.

The ‘Energy Saver’ checklist aims to promote behavior as a means of increasing energy awareness and personal efforts toward energy reduction. Clark University students and Eco Reps have illustrated that powering down really does make a difference. The students of Wright Hall, one of our freshman dorms, reduced energy 67% in a Thanksgiving Break Powerdown contest; all the dorms averaged a 48% reduction! Supporting behavior change among faculty and staff with this student-led initiative is the next step. While they are by no means insignificant, the numbers cited above mean little if they only come about because of a one-time event. Instead, the hope is that the ‘Energy Saver’ checklist will allow for daily power downs to happen almost subconsciously when faculty and staff leave their offices and head for home – they will even take the habits home with them. Saving energy and reducing climate change is up to everyone, at work and at home.

As a result of the research and audits, I realized that while continued technological improvements are important, wide-spread community behavior change is necessary to make a long-lasting difference in our energy use. Clark University Physical Plant has agreed to help fund my project and to match the value of a Green Apple Day of Service Grant.

Boston Latin School Highlights Air Pollution for Green Apple Day of Service

Last year, four students and a teacher attended the Beijing International Science Competition simply for observing purposes.  This year we would like to submit a science project and attend once again. Our goal is to create a biodegradable mask that will support better health for Chinese citizens. We want to create awareness concerning natural gas power plants and their contribution to air pollution.

Boston Latin School's Green Apple Day of Service kicked off by bringing air pollution awareness to our school community. 40 students and teachers from all grade levels participated by decorating biodegradable cotton bandanas that will be worn during school to promote the growing degradation of air quality in China. While they were decorating the bandanas, we told them about our project creating biodegradable air pollution masks with seeds in them. They were very impressed.

The cotton material was originally in a large sheet, which was cut into 15 squares. We had a variety of scissors for people to use, with curves and zigzag shapes on the blade. Everybody came in right after school, to Mr. Smiths room. They sat down or stood around the edge of the classroom as we explained what we were all about. Once they started decorating the bandanas, we went around and decorated with them. The decorated bandanas turned out very nicely, with designs ranging from drawings of smiley faces to drawings of nature and green apples. The turnout was solid, and people were enthusiastic, which we were very pleased with!

Overall, it was a great experience being able to teach these people about climate change awareness, specifically air pollution, that they may not have known much about otherwise. It was fun being able to meet new people. At the end of the day, we can all say that given the opportunity, we would definitely do something like this again next year!

BLS Students show off their bandanas

Wentworth Institute of Technology Taps into Local Water for Green Apple Day of Service

by Kaila Lee Gibbons

On a campus where facilities are rapidly evolving, it may be easy to overlook the new water bottle filling stations amidst the opening of a new residence hall and an updated nanotechnology lab. With a generous grant from the USGBC MA Chapter and the support of the institution’s Sustainability Engagement Committee, the Green Team student club set out to highlight this fountain upgrade for our Green Apple Day of Service project.

The event, entitled Tapped, addressed the importance of local water resources and the reduction of plastic waste from bottled water. A blind taste test comparing tap and bottled spring water was conducted to see if the Wentworth community could really tell the difference. Joshua Das, an expert from the Massachusetts Water Resource Authority (MWRA), joined in to help educate students on tap water and the quality control it undergoes before reaching your faucet.

Tapped also featured a 1,200 pound plastic bale from Casella Resource Solutions to illustrate the amount of waste created by bottled water. For every bale that reaches a recycling center, more than 2 of these monstrosities end up in a landfill, according statistics from the EPA. This spectacle drew attention to our event and helped spark conversations among the over 220 students, faculty, and staff who participated.

The results of the taste test determined that 53% preferred the taste of tap water, compared to 30% for bottled water! Another 17% could not tell the difference. Taste testers were rewarded with a reusable water bottle made of 100% recycled plastic, and were directed to the new bottle filling stations.

For photos of Tapped and other Wentworth Green Team happenings, check us out on Facebook:

The Dallin School Launches "Be Bright, Power Down" Campaign for Green Apple Day of Service

by Jennifer Devlin

The Dallin School Go-Green Club is so excited to be part of the Green Apple Day of Service (GADOS)! For GADOS the group launched our "Be Bright, Power Down" campaign. September 26th was our first day of implementing what will be a yearlong campaign and the first of it's kind in an Arlington Public School. We have read about campaigns in other schools and are inspired by the difference that changes in behavior can make in the amount of energy we consume as a school community. We hope to run a great pilot that has lots of success and inspire other schools to “Be Bright and Power Down”. We have many community members pitching in to help the campaign and have support from our town energy manager, club leaders including our town recycling coordinator, our new principal, PTO, and most importantly Dallin teachers, staff and students.

For the GADOS campaign kick off, the Go-Green club had a brainstorming session on ways to reduce consumption. Ideas included using less lighting, plugging in to power strips that can be easily shut down over weekends and holidays, using less heat, and using solar and wind power that we create at school! Some of these things can be done right now at Dallin and others we can work toward. We created a large banner to hang in the front entrance of our school to raise awareness of our new campaign and club members created artwork that shows the importance of energy conservation. We plan to replicate this artwork and create signs around every light switch in school telling folks to

“Be Bright, Power Down”. We are talking about energy consumption outside of school too and our Go-Green members are working with the PTO to promote the "International Walk to School Day"! We appreciate the GADOS Mini-Grant from USGBC MA and NSTAR! It will enable us to buy the supplies we need to implement our yearlong pilot!!

YouthBuild Boston Partners with McKinley Middle School for Green Apple Day of Service

by Paul Rouhas

For YouthBuild Boston’s (YBB) Green Apple Day of Service, we elected to complete an energy efficiency project at McKinley Middle School. YBB has previously completed service events at McKinley Middle School for Martin Luther King Day (January 2014) and with John Hancock employees (June 2014). After discussing the project with school administrators, we determined the Science and Technology room would be our target area. The project involved installing energy efficient surge protectors to support the room’s 4 PCs and printer, as well as a laptop charging cart for the 7 Chrome Books used in classroom instruction. The surge protectors feature control switches that allow all PCs and equipment on each power strip to be automatically turned on or off by a designated control unit. Each strip also featured 4 automatic switch outlets, which cut power when equipment is not in use, eliminating “phantom electricity”. Kilowatt meters were also installed so that students can monitor energy consumption and incorporate energy efficiency into their curriculum. The laptop charging station was designed and built with support from YBB’s The Designery, an after-school architecture/design/build program. The charging stations create a central charging area and is also equipped with a smart surge protector to limit energy consumption. We want to thank NSTAR and the USGBC MA Chapter for providing financial support to complete this project.

The mission of YouthBuild Boston is to empower and assist underserved young people from the Boston area with the essential social, vocational, academic and life skills necessary to navigate a positive pathway to self-sufficiency and neighborhood responsibility. McKinley Middle School is a BPS facility that focuses on the emotional, behavioral, and learning needs of 5-8th grade students (10-16 years old). 95.5% of these students are enrolled in special education courses focusing on social and emotional needs, 89% are minorities and 79% are low income (2012-2013 BPS data).

The project involved 6 YouthBuild Boston students, 5 YouthBuild Boston Staff, and 3 staff from McKinley Middle School.

Curley K-8 involves many partners for Green Apple Day of Service

by Stephanie Selznick 

THANK YOU TO RE-STREAM FOR FUNDING THE
FOLLOWING GREEN APPLE DAY OF SERVICE PROJECT

The Curley K-8 School Green Apple Day of Service day was September 26. Our plan was to clean up the school grounds, plant bulbs, rake, and mulch our mini garden. We had perfect weather, not to hot or cold. We started at 9AM and went to 2:20PM. Volunteers came from Viridian, MASSCOSH, EPA, parents, students and teachers. 

We started by having 3rd grade students plant bulbs in the side and front of the school. Each student dug a hole very deep and put a bulb in, some students raked the outdoor classroom and some picked up the apples that fell on the ground. Viridian volunteers and some students weeded the mini garden and raked. 

As the morning went on more students came out and helped with the clean up. Everyone wanted to rake which was extremely surprising because the year before we did the Green Apple Day of Service, no one wanted to rake. Students planted dug holes and planted more bulbs. The students were very serious about making the holes deep which was nice that they really cared so much. The volunteers came for the entire morning and did plenty of work with the students. The mini garden looked just as good as it did in the spring. I was very impressed and happy.

After lunch the teachers, parents, k1students, autistic students, grade 6, and grade 8 came out to help with the clean up and planting. It was nice to see the middle school students helping the K1 students with hole digging. Everyone planted bulbs and raked the front and side yard of the school. We planted over 400 bulbs, bagged over 20 bags of leaves and not one complaint by the students. Every student had a smile on their face. We really care for our school and it showed that day.

I can't wait till next year to do this again!

Stephanie Selznick 

Curley K-8 School

40 Pershing Rd.

Jamaica Plain, MA. 02130

Science Specialist

Hull Public Schools - Green Apple Day of Service connects High School and Elementary School

by Nicole Palermo Cristaldi

The Green Apple Day of Service project for Hull Public Schools took place at 180 Harborview Road, on the beautiful peninsula of Hull, Massachusetts. What a fantastic day for all involved!  The Mini-Grant awarded by USGBC MA Chapter and their generous sponsors allowed students from Hull High School to join forces with students from the Lillian Jacobs Elementary School to erect their long awaited gardens on September 24, 2014. The efforts of the Hull Parent Teacher Organization coupled with Holly Hill Farm, educated students on the food cycle, the basics of preparing raised bed gardens, basic carpentry and gardening skills.

Since April of 2014, the Students of Lillian Jacobs Elementary School have been learning the cycle of food through their cafeteria composting program.  The composted apples, oranges, bananas & undressed veggies tuned into beautiful, nutrient -rich soil in the New Age Composter provided by The Massachusetts EPA’s Green TEAM! The Green Apple Day Project will allow the students to witness the next stage of the food cycle – growing your food!

At each recess, the younger students watched as the high school students prepared the earth for the new gardens, by measuring the plots of land (4x8) and removing grass and weeds from the area.  The untreated rough cut pine was then measured and cut to size. After the beds were screwed together and reinforced by the students, the beds were filled with organic soil. Soon after they were finished, all students outside were invited to join Jon Belber from Holly Hill Farm to plant the first seeds, organic radishes, taking only 24 days to mature.  The students we so excited to plant their seed into the soil and even more motivated to water their little accomplishment!

The Green Apple Day Project impacted over 500 students and inspired the High School students to start the process for implementing their own gardens at Hull High! 

Brooke Mattapan Charter School's Huge Green Apple Day of Service Collaboration

by Scott Knox

The first of the 300 volunteers arrived at 6:30 AM on September 23rd to start the arduous task of building a playground in one day. Brooke Mattapan Charter School in conjunction with KaBOOM!, a national playground building nonprofit, planned for months their design, logistics and preparations. In addition to the support from UnitedHealthcare and the New England Patriorts, Brooke was able to purchase materials used in the build and will be used for continued playground maintenance with the GADOS Mini-Grant awarded by USGBC MA Chapter and Arrowstreet.  Check out Arrowstreet's blog for more pics and a video from the day.

The volunteers completed the construction of the playground and over a dozen side projects in just under 5 hours -- it was an amazing feat! Volunteers were separated into 15 groups with specific tasks. In addition to building the playground which included two slides, a rock climbing wall and monkey bars, the volunteers built benches, picnic tables, flower beds, and painted murals which will add to the community feel of the playground. Toward the end of the day, special guests from the New England Patriots and Revolution arrived to lend a hand and meet the students at the ribbon cutting ceremony -- even Pat Patriot rolled up his sleeves and helped out. 

Brooke scholars and the surrounding Mattapan community are so excited to have a safe, fun place to play for years to come. This would not have been possible without the support of the volunteers and donations from organizations such as USGBC MA Chapter. 

In total our project was made possible:

• 48 staff members from Brooke Mattapan contributed to the build in one shape or form: recruiting volunteers, lending tools, helping with student thank you notes, etc.
• 300 volunteers (parents, Brooke supporters, corporate volunteers)