Mike Town - Redmond High School
Submitted by Anonymous on Wed, 03/18/2009 - 15:07.
Mike Town of Redmond High School teaches AP Environmental Science. To educate students about auditing and reducing energy consumption, he founded the “Cool School Challenge" (CSC). This initiative encourages any teacher to reduce their school’s CO2 footprint by 2,000 pounds.
In order to effectively achieve his goal of having schools lower their footprint, Town worked with partners, such as the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency, Puget Sound Energy’s Powerful Choices for the Environment Program and the Northwest Clean Air Agency to help fund and gather information for the website. The Web site offers teacher toolkits, advice, stories of how other schools have reduced their energy consumption and even teacher workshops.
To date, over 500,000 pounds of CO2 have been reduced by the 20 participating schools. Redmond High School alone has saved over $7,500 on their annual electricity and each classroom reduced their CO2 emission by about 2,000 pounds. To get more information or to take the challenge, visit the website and find information on how to take the Cool School Challenge at your school!
UPDATE:
Mike is also working on an initiative with the Greater Redmond Environmental Education Network called "Go Green." This is a school-wide effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to 50 percent below the levels emitted in 1990. The initiative involves several components, including the Cool Schools Challenge (mentioned above), a recycling program, composting program, a lighting project to switch current fixtures to LED and florescent bulbs, incentivizing bus transportation, assessing the monetary value of ecosystem services, encouraging staff carpooling, working with a local Starbucks to introduce a recycling and composting program and finally encourage students to pursue student grants for projects.
As you can see, this is an extensive project that requires dedication and coordination. Please check back here for updates as the initiative moves forward.
UPDATE:
Mike Town received an award from the North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) for Outstanding Service to Environmental Education by K-12 Educator. Read the story
Link:
Visit the Cool School Challenge Web site
Student Wildlife Grants
Do you know high school students who are passionate about improving wildlife ha
bitats or conserving natural resources? Planet Connect is offering $1,000 grants to support students to implement a project in their school or community and to participate in a local internship focused on wildlife conservation or natural resources.
Visit PlanetConnect.org/2011wcgrants for more information. Applications are due February 1, 2011!
NEEF participates in the Combined Federal Campaign (CFC) as a member of EarthShare, an umbrella organization for the most respected and responsible environmental and conservation organizations in America. If you are a federal government employee please consider giving to NEEF through the CFC. Our CFC number is 11792.
