This week, San Lorenzo and Arroyo Earth Teams met with guest speaker Rilynn Misa, a sustainability consultant with Environmental Innovations. Environmental Innovations is a certified woman-owned B Corp dedicated to helping businesses, institutions, government and individuals innovate beyond the status quo toward more equitable and sustainable solutions that benefit people, planet and profit. Ms Rilynn has supported a broad range of programs that specifically target business efficiency and support. Based out of the Bay Area, she is currently the Green Business Coordinator for both the Alameda County and Santa Clara County Green Business Programs, as well as a committee member for the CAGBN Performance and Standards committee.
This week Miss Rilynn partnered with Earth Team to join interns at school presenting on her career path from a volunteer, to the conservation corps, to finally her current position at Environmental Innovations. She gifted students not only with stories of living in the backcountry learning to chainsaw away invasive plants, but with a massive list of conservation career resources and job boards.
Interns were introduced to the California Green Business Network (CBGN) requirements for green business, and more specifically, green school certification. There are 17 requirements to become an entry level green school separated into 7 sections: energy, pollution prevention, solid waste, transportation, wastewater, water, and community. After reviewing the requirements, it was time to evaluate the campus’ to see where SLZUSD schools land on the sustainability scale.
On Tuesday, San Lorenzo High Earth Team evaluated the waste and water management on campus. They were excited to learn that their school was already meeting most of the requirements for low flow faucets, energy efficient lighting, and pollution prevention. In addition, the interns have already been preparing for a waste audit on campus, which will complete the requirements in the solid waste section of our list. By the end of the meeting, interns had come up with a list of action items they could complete by the end of the school year including better signage at waste bins, covers for the landfill dumpsters, and possible transportation initiatives. They are excited by the possibility of becoming a green school, and hope to spread this wave of sustainability all across campus.
On Thursday, Arroyo High Earth Team delved into the waste, water, and energy management on their campus. Due to ongoing construction, interns observed that, unlike San Lorenzo, the lighting, faucets, and HVAC systems were different in virtually every room across campus. For example, while evaluating sink faucets, students found all 3 sinks in one restroom had different rates of flow. While this made it a bit difficult for students to accurately measure which requirements on the green school list were being met, it showcased for students how long of a process many of these changes can be especially on a high school campus. Students set up a meeting with school custodial staff for the following week where they will discuss current maintenance schedules, chemical cleaning products, irrigation, and energy use.
Interns at both schools expressed concern at their campus’ ability to become a green school. Lucky for them, sustainability expert Miss Rilynn was able to calm their nerves. “Starting the sustainability journey is the hardest part. Just looking at this list, it may seem impossible to complete everything all at once. But remember, we all start somewhere, and, by starting to look at this handful of sustainability measures, we can create a roadmap to a more sustainable future.”
Earth Team would like to thank Rilynn Misa and Environmental Innovations for joining our meetings this week. Not only was Rilynn an incredible resource in the classroom, she also took time to share her unique career path, create career resource lists, and collaborate with program coordinators to create a curriculum for this week. Earth Team would also like to thank the Altamont Education Advisory Board and the Alameda County Resource Conservation for making this work possible.
