Sustainability

Energy

• St. Mark’s will participate in the “Green Cup” in February 2011.
  
• Recent lighting upgrades throughout the School are realizing up to a 50% energy savings in some places.
  
• All paint used in the School emitted zero volatile organic compounds (VOC’s).
  
• St. Mark’s contracts large printing projects to a completely “green” printer in Maine who is powered by wind and recycles all its gray water.
  
• St. Mark’s tabulates savings based on the paper chosen for a particular printing project (Viewbook, St. Mark’s Magazine) that identifies the number of trees saved, amount of water saved, etc. through environmentally conscious decision making.
  
• St. Mark’s is currently working on program for computer energy reduction.
  
• St. Mark’s created a sustainability meadow, which covers five acres in front of the School, saving 50-60 gallons of fuel over the course of the year.

Curriculum

• The faculty read Jared Diamond’s Collapse as summer reading and discussed the integration of sustainability principles into courses.
  
• Environment was a unit in Spanish classes and in German III.
  
•  Chemistry 31 (Environmental Chemistry) teaches introductory chemistry concepts by focusing on environmental issues.
  
• Math classes are collecting data on food waste, which will be presented to the entire School later in the year.
• The VI Form English elective “Lost” touched on issues of sustainability and the environment.
  
• Studio art classes are researching endangered species and creating art based on this research
  
• Art Department Head Barb Putnam’s professional work as an artist focuses on the natural environment and elevates these issues to promote discussion and greater awareness.
  
• Computer science students are integrating energy usage data in their programming work of a weather station to add weather as a context for energy usage. 
• Our Times course is centered on globalization, including discussions of environmental issues on global stage. There is an extensive ecology unit in Biology 30.

Food

• All of the food waste generated on campus goes to a local pig farm.
  
• FLIK, St. Mark’s outside food service company, uses as much locally grown and raised food as possible.
  
• The dining hall is trayless so as to minimize water use and food consumption.

Water

• St. Mark’s installed energy-efficient shower heads and other fixtures in bathrooms throughout School to minimize water and energy resources. 
  
•  The School does not sell or purchase individual bottles of water, and has instead encouraged community members to purchase reusable personal water bottles and refill them in the dining hall.
  
• The dining hall is trayless so as to minimize water use and food consumption.

Building

• All paint used in the School emitted zero volatile organic compounds (VOC’s).
• New faculty housing was built with conservation and building efficiency in mind (recycled glass countertops, bamboo flooring, etc.).