San Domenico San Domenico School:School:

Students leading the Students leading the way to sustainabilityway to sustainability

““A journey of a thousand A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single miles begins with a single

step.” step.”

~ Confucius~ Confucius

Sustainability is rooted in the Sustainability is rooted in the San Domenico mission San Domenico mission statement. statement. In the Dominican tradition of truth. . .In the Dominican tradition of truth. . .

We celebrate We celebrate diversity, recognizing God's diversity, recognizing God's presence presence    in ourselves and in all of creation    in ourselves and in all of creation

We explore We explore and develop the unique gifts of each and develop the unique gifts of each

   individual in mind, heart, body and spirit    individual in mind, heart, body and spirit We inspireWe inspire inquiry and provide a strong inquiry and provide a strong

academicacademic   foundation for lifelong intellectual growth    foundation for lifelong intellectual growth

We recognize We recognize what it means to be human in a what it means to be human in a globalglobal   community and respond with integrity to the    community and respond with integrity to the needsneeds   and challenges of our time.   and challenges of our time.

The Sustainable San Domenico The Sustainable San Domenico project was created based project was created based

upon our values-based mission upon our values-based mission statement.statement.

Its goals are to Its goals are to integrate sustainability into the curriculintegrate sustainability into the curriculumum and to make the school operations – and to make the school operations – food systems, energy consumption, food systems, energy consumption, maintenance, building programs and maintenance, building programs and buying practices – all reflect the buying practices – all reflect the principles of sustainability. principles of sustainability.

Check out our website at Check out our website at www.sandomenico.orgwww.sandomenico.org

Energizing the CurriculumEnergizing the Curriculum SD’s work with the Alliance to SD’s work with the Alliance to

Save EnergySave Energy

One teacher from the High School One teacher from the High School and the Director of Sustainability and the Director of Sustainability attended the 2-day ASE training attended the 2-day ASE training program. program.

Working togetherWorking together……the Green ……the Green Schools teachers added the Schools teachers added the

activities into already existing activities into already existing curriculum.curriculum.

Upper School Environmental Science Upper School Environmental Science CurriculumCurriculum

Middle School Energy curriculum Middle School Energy curriculum Co-curricular activities the students Co-curricular activities the students

participate in voluntarily from grades participate in voluntarily from grades 6-8. 6-8.

Using our buildings as a learning Using our buildings as a learning laboratories……laboratories……

Students are challenged to Students are challenged to think critically…… think critically……

With guidance from the ASE, the Upper With guidance from the ASE, the Upper School ES class facilitates an entire School ES class facilitates an entire unit on energy. The students create an unit on energy. The students create an audit of the school, to be incorporated audit of the school, to be incorporated into our into our Energy Conservation Plan. Energy Conservation Plan.

It was It was imperativeimperative to work with the to work with the facilities department to understand facilities department to understand energy usage in each area of the energy usage in each area of the school.school.

The Energy Audit ProjectThe Energy Audit Project: : It begins with research and an in-It begins with research and an in-

class group discussion:class group discussion:

Students were provided with a Students were provided with a background in energy sources, background in energy sources, efficiency, and some simple guiding efficiency, and some simple guiding ideas and steps for conserving energy. ideas and steps for conserving energy.

Utilizing the electric and gas bills, Utilizing the electric and gas bills, students used tools to compare where students used tools to compare where energy is utilized most on campus. energy is utilized most on campus.

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students observed and their students observed and their suggestions for energy efficient suggestions for energy efficient solutions. solutions.

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The students’ solutions….The students’ solutions….

HEATING: Working with the HEATING: Working with the facilities department,facilities department, students students came to understand how the school came to understand how the school heating system worked. Their heating system worked. Their solution?solution?

Separated systems with boiler Separated systems with boiler control and timer clocks to manage control and timer clocks to manage heatheat

San Domenico Energy/Water San Domenico Energy/Water Conservation PlanConservation Plan

GoalsGoals Increase energy efficiency in facilitiesIncrease energy efficiency in facilities Develop sustainable energy practices Develop sustainable energy practices Educate students/staff/parents on energy conservation Educate students/staff/parents on energy conservation

practices and alternative energy sourcespractices and alternative energy sources Objectives:Objectives: Develop sustainable design standards Develop sustainable design standards Perform energy audits by building. Perform energy audits by building. Identify solutions to increase energy efficiency and forecast Identify solutions to increase energy efficiency and forecast

sustainable alternatives for replacements as needed.sustainable alternatives for replacements as needed. Determine environmental impacts and economic benefits of Determine environmental impacts and economic benefits of

projects. (cost analysis)projects. (cost analysis) Select projects that are cost-effective and implementable. Select projects that are cost-effective and implementable. Select leadership and participants for successful Select leadership and participants for successful

implementation. implementation. Monitor and evaluate systems.Monitor and evaluate systems.

Lighting Solutions Lighting Solutions

Replace incandescent light bulbs w/ Replace incandescent light bulbs w/ compact fluorescents. compact fluorescents.

No cost solutions!No cost solutions!

Turn off lights, computers, other Turn off lights, computers, other devices when no one is in the devices when no one is in the room!room!

Monitoring is by day faculty, the Monitoring is by day faculty, the boarding faculty, and the boarding faculty, and the school school energy patrolenergy patrol in the Middle School in the Middle School Service and Sustainability Club. Service and Sustainability Club.

Mini stickers are over EVERY light Mini stickers are over EVERY light switch: “switch: “Turn off the lights when not Turn off the lights when not in use!” in use!”

Water…….Water……. Low flow toilets were installed free of Low flow toilets were installed free of

charge by our municipal water charge by our municipal water service. service.

New shower heads installed in the New shower heads installed in the dorm showers, to reduce the hot dorm showers, to reduce the hot water consumption and therefore water consumption and therefore save energy.save energy.

Rainwater catchment system on Rainwater catchment system on gravity flow to irrigate our garden, gravity flow to irrigate our garden, and eventually the rest of campus and eventually the rest of campus groundsgrounds

Our outdoor pool! Our outdoor pool!

In 2006, a passive solar thermal system In 2006, a passive solar thermal system was installed to heat our large outdoor was installed to heat our large outdoor swimming pool. It was consuming 20% of swimming pool. It was consuming 20% of our heating annuallyour heating annually

Indirect energy reductions….Indirect energy reductions…. Use Use moremore organic produce from our garden in the organic produce from our garden in the

cafeteria (saves on transportation + purchasing cafeteria (saves on transportation + purchasing costs)costs)

Purchase supplies and food from local farmers and Purchase supplies and food from local farmers and distributors. (Marin has local organic produce, a distributors. (Marin has local organic produce, a tofu factory, bakeries, and dairy!)tofu factory, bakeries, and dairy!)

Use manure and cuttings Use manure and cuttings from the stables and grounds from the stables and grounds in compost and to fertilize in compost and to fertilize plantings around campus- plantings around campus- do not look for outside source.do not look for outside source.

More indirect energy More indirect energy savings…savings…

We recycle: paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, We recycle: paper, cardboard, cans, bottles, plastics, batteries, ink-jet cartridges, cell plastics, batteries, ink-jet cartridges, cell phones, and other electronics.phones, and other electronics.

Reuse the back of project boards, paper, Reuse the back of project boards, paper, etc. Extra materials are sent to schools in etc. Extra materials are sent to schools in need.need.

Digital cameras instead of filmDigital cameras instead of film Use rechargeable batteriesUse rechargeable batteries Don’t use disposable dishes in the cafeteria- Don’t use disposable dishes in the cafeteria-

when disposables are needed, we now use when disposables are needed, we now use compost-ables. compost-ables.

How did student’s react to the How did student’s react to the activity? In their own words:activity? In their own words:

“I plan to learn about more ways we can make a difference directly, like how we learned in this unit about all the ways of saving energy, because I really like learning about things that are actually possible for me to do, instead of feeling helpless.”

Another student reflection:Another student reflection: ““One of the most important things, One of the most important things,

besides shifting to using renewable energy besides shifting to using renewable energy is learning to conserve the energy that we is learning to conserve the energy that we possess right now.”possess right now.”

Community OutreachCommunity Outreach

Monthly online Newsletters to over Monthly online Newsletters to over 700 people in our school community700 people in our school community

Schools, universities, non-profits come Schools, universities, non-profits come to SD to use our program as a model to SD to use our program as a model for sustainability within their own for sustainability within their own schools.schools.

Host a annual Sustainability Host a annual Sustainability conference for teachers, conference for teachers, administrators and students.administrators and students.

What’s next at SD? What’s next at SD?

Large-scale photovoltaic solar Large-scale photovoltaic solar system! system!

Students are involved in the process Students are involved in the process campaigning for student support, campaigning for student support, researching cost-analysis and researching cost-analysis and technology.technology.

So many more steps…….So many more steps…….

““A journey of a thousand miles A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.”begins with a single step.”

Our students take on eachOur students take on each

little step, and as many little step, and as many

graduate,graduate,

they are able to look backthey are able to look back

and see the first few miles and see the first few miles

we’ve coveredwe’ve covered. .

““We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is We are now faced with the fact that tomorrow is today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of today. We are confronted with the fierce urgency of now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history now. In this unfolding conundrum of life and history there is such a thing as being too late. there is such a thing as being too late. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Procrastination is still the thief of time. Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and Life often leaves us standing bare, naked and dejected with a lost opportunity. The ‘dejected with a lost opportunity. The ‘tide in the tide in the affairs of men’affairs of men’ does not does notremain at the flood; it ebbs. We may cry out remain at the flood; it ebbs. We may cry out desperately for time to pause in her passage, but desperately for time to pause in her passage, but time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the time is deaf to every plea and rushes on. Over the bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous bleached bones and jumbled residue of numerous civilizations are written the pathetic words: ‘Too civilizations are written the pathetic words: ‘Too late. . . .’”late. . . .’”

Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

For more information, email For more information, email sustainability@sandomenico.orgsustainability@sandomenico.org