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Schools pursue innovative green agenda
By Chris Brown |
April 21, 2010, Wednesday
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INSPIRED by a global drive to go green, Shanghai's international schools are doing their bit for the environment. In the lead-up to Earth Day tomorrow, a combination of large and small-scale projects are lifting the bar for environmentalism in Shanghai.
The Concordia International School Shanghai has given its students an on-campus example of how to fight climate change. Extensive renovation work last year yielded a state-of-the-art ground source heat-exchange system, which cools or heats water pumped through underground tubing, and uses it to control classroom temperatures.
Dr Shawn Yunsheng Xu, who as the technical director of Asia Clean Capital oversaw the project, says that its annual effect will be the "equivalent to planting 100,000 to 150,000 trees, or pulling 400 to 500 cars from the streets."
Numerous innovations complement the underground piping system at Concordia, such as the use of natural lighting, green roofs and, in the newest buildings, bamboo veneers, a rapidly renewable and highly sustainable resource.
But according to Karin Semler, Concordia's assistant director of marketing, this was no blind leap of environmentalist faith.
"Sustainability and viability were key," she says, adding that "projections suggest our original investment will be recouped within 10 years."
Environmentally friendly policies are prevalent throughout Shanghai's international school sector. The Shanghai Community International School was recently given the "Green Pioneer Award" by NGO Roots and Shoots, in recognition of its eco-friendly activities.
And during the Earth Week, awareness and fund raising events will dominate the school program, with a "power-down" day the highlight.
Similar events are the norm at Yew Chung International School of Shanghai, where students and teachers have responded to global and national initiatives throughout the year, celebrating Chinese Arbor Day on March 12 by planting a young mulberry tree on the campus grounds.
And at Dulwich College, a recent "Enviro Week" coordinated by Senior School students has directly impacted upon eco-habits in the school. "Following the success of 'Black Out Day,' teachers have been requesting to turn off heating in the corridors to be more energy-efficient and students have been switching off lights," says Stuart Tasker, head of the Senior School. ?
But the "Rubbish Awareness Day was the most eye-opening and useful event," Tasker continues. Students had to manage their own litter for the entire school day, as the school rubbish bins were closed off. "It is to encourage the students to be responsible for their own waste and appreciate how much is generated over the course of a school day."
While international schools are well placed financially to engage in environmentalism, individuals within them are the prime motivating forces.
Daniel Shrewsbury, who will join the permanent staff of the British International School Shanghai in September, has already begun what he hopes will be a long-term eco-drive in the school community.
"After spending some time at the school, I realized recycling was pretty much non-existent," Shrewsbury recalls.
"And when it came to finding a company to deal with our plastic and paper waste, there were few viable options." Undeterred, Shrewsbury has contracted local waste disposers to take away recyclable materials. "We want to involve everyone associated with the school, and especially local people," Shrewsbury says, adding that he is "a firm believer that the current threat of climate change is now reaching a critical point."
Another driving force of environmental campaigns among Shanghai's schools is Roots and Shoots, the global NGO active in Shanghai since 1999, which promotes environmentally friendly projects and cultural awareness in more than 200 schools in the city.
The flagship project of Roots and Shoots is its Million Tree campaign, an ongoing reforestation initiative in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. But this grand project feeds the day-to-day concern with motivating and enabling the environmental activism of students and teachers.
According to Executive Director Zee Zee Zhong, international schools are a perfect setting for environmental campaigns.
"We give the international schools information and motivation, and after that we can generally leave them to it," says Zhong. She observed that there is an exceptionally high awareness of environmental issues among staff and students, and that time dedicated to community projects and extra-curricular activities supports the growth of Roots and Shoots groups in international schools.
Most of the schools Roots and Shoots works with, however, are local, and Zhong points to ongoing successes and their "huge potential" for environmental activism.
Projects such as the eco-audit scheme, which trains students how to calculate energy use in schools and workplaces, provide a mutually beneficial link between students and companies, Zhong says.
"Students conduct surveys and present their findings to adults, a new and valuable experience, while the increased awareness they bring often encourages more company workers to volunteer for environmental initiatives," he adds.
The Concordia International School Shanghai has given its students an on-campus example of how to fight climate change. Extensive renovation work last year yielded a state-of-the-art ground source heat-exchange system, which cools or heats water pumped through underground tubing, and uses it to control classroom temperatures.
Dr Shawn Yunsheng Xu, who as the technical director of Asia Clean Capital oversaw the project, says that its annual effect will be the "equivalent to planting 100,000 to 150,000 trees, or pulling 400 to 500 cars from the streets."
Numerous innovations complement the underground piping system at Concordia, such as the use of natural lighting, green roofs and, in the newest buildings, bamboo veneers, a rapidly renewable and highly sustainable resource.
But according to Karin Semler, Concordia's assistant director of marketing, this was no blind leap of environmentalist faith.
"Sustainability and viability were key," she says, adding that "projections suggest our original investment will be recouped within 10 years."
Environmentally friendly policies are prevalent throughout Shanghai's international school sector. The Shanghai Community International School was recently given the "Green Pioneer Award" by NGO Roots and Shoots, in recognition of its eco-friendly activities.
And during the Earth Week, awareness and fund raising events will dominate the school program, with a "power-down" day the highlight.
Similar events are the norm at Yew Chung International School of Shanghai, where students and teachers have responded to global and national initiatives throughout the year, celebrating Chinese Arbor Day on March 12 by planting a young mulberry tree on the campus grounds.
And at Dulwich College, a recent "Enviro Week" coordinated by Senior School students has directly impacted upon eco-habits in the school. "Following the success of 'Black Out Day,' teachers have been requesting to turn off heating in the corridors to be more energy-efficient and students have been switching off lights," says Stuart Tasker, head of the Senior School. ?
But the "Rubbish Awareness Day was the most eye-opening and useful event," Tasker continues. Students had to manage their own litter for the entire school day, as the school rubbish bins were closed off. "It is to encourage the students to be responsible for their own waste and appreciate how much is generated over the course of a school day."
While international schools are well placed financially to engage in environmentalism, individuals within them are the prime motivating forces.
Daniel Shrewsbury, who will join the permanent staff of the British International School Shanghai in September, has already begun what he hopes will be a long-term eco-drive in the school community.
"After spending some time at the school, I realized recycling was pretty much non-existent," Shrewsbury recalls.
"And when it came to finding a company to deal with our plastic and paper waste, there were few viable options." Undeterred, Shrewsbury has contracted local waste disposers to take away recyclable materials. "We want to involve everyone associated with the school, and especially local people," Shrewsbury says, adding that he is "a firm believer that the current threat of climate change is now reaching a critical point."
Another driving force of environmental campaigns among Shanghai's schools is Roots and Shoots, the global NGO active in Shanghai since 1999, which promotes environmentally friendly projects and cultural awareness in more than 200 schools in the city.
The flagship project of Roots and Shoots is its Million Tree campaign, an ongoing reforestation initiative in the Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. But this grand project feeds the day-to-day concern with motivating and enabling the environmental activism of students and teachers.
According to Executive Director Zee Zee Zhong, international schools are a perfect setting for environmental campaigns.
"We give the international schools information and motivation, and after that we can generally leave them to it," says Zhong. She observed that there is an exceptionally high awareness of environmental issues among staff and students, and that time dedicated to community projects and extra-curricular activities supports the growth of Roots and Shoots groups in international schools.
Most of the schools Roots and Shoots works with, however, are local, and Zhong points to ongoing successes and their "huge potential" for environmental activism.
Projects such as the eco-audit scheme, which trains students how to calculate energy use in schools and workplaces, provide a mutually beneficial link between students and companies, Zhong says.
"Students conduct surveys and present their findings to adults, a new and valuable experience, while the increased awareness they bring often encourages more company workers to volunteer for environmental initiatives," he adds.
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