Sustainability At Dana Hall

List of 6 items.

• Dana Garden

   

  

  In the spring of 2014, the Dana Hall community planted the first seeds in the community garden. The program grew out of a handful of complementary environmental and gardening initiatives led by the Sustainability Council and the Green Team.

  
  Six dedicated sixth grade students planted the first seedlings and then invited the Dana community to participate. In April the student-led Green Team hosted “Community Planting Day,” and in May the first round of seedlings were transplanted during Grandparents Day. On “Community Service Day” in late May 2014, Middle School students helped transplant the final round of seedlings.
  
  In the fall of 2014, the garden was harvested and many of the vegetables were provided to the Dining Center. Harvested vegetables included: cucumbers, beets, radishes, carrots, scallions, tomatoes, kale, basil and sweet potatoes.
  
  The goals of the Dana Garden:
  
  

  • Produce food for the Dana Hall Dining Center
  • Provide hands-on learning experiences for the students
  • Help students develop a sense of stewardship for the environment and an appreciation of locally grown food

  
  Find out more about the Dana Garden and how you can help.

• Anti-Idling Campaign

  In 2014, the Anti-Idling Campaign was established to help reduce Dana's ecological footprint.
  
  Middle School students created anti-idling posters, and anti-idling messages were broadcast to the Dana community. Drivers were encouraged to turn off their engines when dropping off and picking up students.
  
  Anti-Idling Facts
  
  

  • A car uses more fuel to idle for 30 seconds than it does to turn the engine off and start it up again
  • As long as a car is running on a cold morning for 30 seconds, that is enough time to get the oil running through the engine to prevent damage

• Recycling

  Dana Hall’s students take ownership of the Dana recycling program. Each advisor group takes turns being responsible for Dana's weekly recycling. Recyclables are collected and transported to the local Wellesley Recycling and Disposal Facility (RDF).
  
  Recyclable Goods

  • plastic utensils
  • any kind of plastic container
  • aluminum cans
  • glass bottles
  • cardboard (needs to be broken down)
  • all kinds of paper (newspapers, magazines, office paper)

  
  Non-Recyclable Goods
  

  • wrappers for reams of printer paper
  • paper coffee cups (contain wax lining)
  • pizza boxes (contain grease)

• Bike Share

  In the spring of 2014, Dana’s student-led Green Team began a bike share program in an effort to reduce Dana’s carbon footprint and allow students access to Wellesley center.
  
  Thanks to the generosity of Dana parents, funds were raised to purchase two bikes, two helmets, and locks.
  
  From May-October 2014, the bikes were checked out 122 times. Dana students check the bikes and helmets out of the library, after signing a safety agreement. In September 2014, the Green Team sponsored a bike maintenance training in partnership with Landry’s Bicycles.
  
  The Green Team had a naming contest for the bikes, the winning names were: “Batman” and “The Flash.”

• Energy Efficiency on Campus

  Recent energy efficiency upgrades include:
  

  • In 2014, facilities staff replaced lighting fixtures in the Shipley Center and on the streets with more efficient lights. Ten LED street lamps were installed, which use 53 watts each as opposed to the previous 250 watts lamps. The lights are also more cost effective, and they will have paid for themselves in less than three years.

• Composting

  As part of the School’s ongoing sustainability efforts, Dana Hall worked with Bootstrap Compost, a Boston-area scrap pick-up service, to reduce its environmental footprint during recent spring events including Parents' Weekend, She Sails, Reunion and Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day. The Bootstrap staff and Parents’ Association (PA) sustainability committee volunteers guided event guests through the composting process and educated them on the many environmental benefits.
  
  During the three days of She Sails and Reunion (April 24-26, 2015), Bootstrap Compost reported that 410 pounds of waste were diverted from local landfills. The waste generated close to 205 pounds of usable compost and prevented 390 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions. On May 1, 2015, Bootstrap staff, led by company Founder and President Andy Brooks, helped the School toward rescuing 160 pounds of waste during Grandparents’ and Special Friends’ Day. The waste prevented 152 pounds of greenhouse gas emissions and generated 80 pounds of finished compost. During Parents' Weekend, October 29-31, 2015, 600 pounds of waste was diverted from local landfills, which generated close to 300 lbs. of usable compost and prevented 570 lbs. of greenhouse gas emissions.
  
  Learn more at http://bootstrapcompost.com/