Sustainability at Browning
- Students performing forest ecology research at Black Rock Forest.
Sustainability is an umbrella term covering many aspects of society, technology and science. It is most frequently applied within environmental and economic development contexts. Two definitions of sustainability are sufficiently broad to be valuable when applied to many specific situations. First, coming from the World Commission on Environment and Development (the Brundtland Report),
"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs." - World Commission on Environment and Development Our Common Future (1987)
This broad definition can be applied to environmental, economic and social programs, which frequently have areas of overlap. Interestingly, this modern definition resonates closely with the language of the Great Law of Peace of the Six Nations Iroquois Confederacy (Haudenosaunee) which mandates that chiefs consider the impact of their decisions on the seven generations yet to come, roughly two hundred years in the future.
In 2003 Browning hosted a series of meetings of the National Association of Independent Schools Sustainability Task Force, which was developing NAIS conferences and a Summer Institute around the theme of sustainability. The NAIS theme was designed to run parallel with the United Nations decade of work towards the Millennium Development Goals.
In 2004 Browning founded its own Environmental Sustainability Task Force with the goal of examining and promoting sustainable practices in the school. With broad community representation many strides have been made in areas that had not been closely examined. While challenges remain, the accomplishments listed below, large and small, represent an increasing commitment to examining what we do and what we teach, and seeing how it contributes to the world outside our walls. The task force continues to search for new ways Browning can embrace sustainable practices and promote education for sustainability.
Paper - Reduction, Reuse, Recycling- Increased electronic communication (especially by the Parents Association)
- Double-sided photocopying and printing
- The re-use of single sided paper as scrap paper
- The Environment Club conducted a survey of the building and made sure that each classroom and office had a recycling bin as well as a regular trash can.
- Use of recycled content paper in photocopiers, bathroom papers, and cafeteria napkins.
- Recycling: Cell-phones and toner cartridges ready for recycling.
- Batteries (Battery Solutions Inc.: http://www.batteryrecycling.com/)
- Cell-phones (Think Green: http://www.thinkgreen.com/)
- Printer toner cartridges (ink-jet and laser) (Think Green)
- Computers and other IT equipment - donated to needy schools
- Bottles and Cans - placed in designated bins in cafeteria
- Used packing materials from cafeteria - used as art materials
- In the cafeteria the food service staff encourage students to think about the amount of food they use and how much they waste. Some simple steps have been made to reduce food waste, such as separating the different fruits and berries in the dessert bar so that boys don't take a bowl of fruit salad, pick out their favorites and toss out the rest. Smaller bagels also help avoid waste. Recycling is promoted in the cafeteria with bottle and can recycling, and use of recycled content paper napkins.
Recognizing that school is a more productive environment when students and adults are healthy we have turned our attention to how we can combat sickness and absences.
- Encouraging the use of hand-washing, hand sanitizers, and antibacterial soaps in classrooms and bathrooms can make a significant contribution to health in the community. Additionally, desks and handrails are periodically washed with antibacterial cleansers to kill bacteria and viruses in the common spaces.
- Browning uses "green" cleaning products.
- Since toxic fumes from paints have been linked to health and learning issues with children, new low volatile organic compound (V.O.C.) paints are now mandated for use in schools. This past summer Browning switched to low V.O.C. paints.
- By changing our electricity supplier and using newly installed electricity monitoring equipment, Browning now cuts back on its electricity consumption during peak demand times. Such times are typically in the hot summer weeks when inconveniences are fairly minimal to the community. This is also a modest revenue generator for the school. Supplier: Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc.
- Grade 5 students visit the Hearst Building to learn about building a "green" highrise.
- Browning examines how sustainability issues can be woven into the curriculum in all three divisions. Some of the successful endeavors are listed below.
- Black Rock Forest: a 4000 acre forest in the Hudson Highlands has been used by Browning students in all divisions for many years doing forest ecosystem studies, orienteering hikes and art projects. Currently our Form III (ninth grade) students each perform individual science research at the forest as part of their biology class.
- Zam's Quest: a sequence of role-playing units that solve real-world environmental problems, has been used in grades 4 to 6 science classes. (http://www.zamsquest.com/index.php)
- Grade 3 is embarking on an interdisciplinary study of endangered animals.
- The new Upper School elective Geology and The Environment of New York focuses on the environment through the lens of the local New York region.
- Rock N Renew: a new program in environmental education presented by Jonny Dubowski, leader of the rock band Jonny Lives. With assembly programs presenting ideas about sustainable energy, classroom curricular materials and an MTV interview with rock luminaries, the goal of this program is to not only promote awareness but to actually influence individual and family energy conservation. (http://www.rocknrenew.com/)