Sustainability Committee Bedford Central School District Sustainability Committee

Bedford Central School DistrictSustainability CommitteeSustainability Committee

www.bcsdny.org/sustainability

• Definition of sustainability

• The context for our work

• The road to our committee

• Commitment to sustainability and EfS

• Next steps for 2009-10

Bedford Central School District Sustainability CommitteeSustainability Committee

A Commitment to Sustainability


What is sustainability?

"Improving the quality of human life while living within the carrying capacity of supporting eco-systems."

"Sustainability is 'long-term, cultural, economic and environmental health and vitality' with emphasis on long-term, 'together with the importance of linking our social, financial, and environmental well-being.'"

"Sustainability encompasses the simple principle of taking from the earth only what it can provide indefinitely, thus leaving future generations no less than we have access to ourselves."

"Sustainability may be described as our responsibility to proceed in a way that will sustain life that will allow our children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren to live comfortably in a friendly, clean, and healthy world."

"Sustainability is meeting the needs of all humans, being able to do so on a finite planet for generations to come while ensuring some degree of openness and flexibility to adapt to changing circumstances."

"Sustainability is a dynamic condition which requires a basic understanding of the interconnections and interdependency among ecological, economic and social systems. Sustainability means providing a rich quality of life for all, and accomplishing this within the means of nature."

"A sustainable society is one that is far-seeing enough, flexible enough, and wise enough not to undermine either its physical or its social systems of support."

"Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs."

"Sustainable Development is positive change which does not undermine the environmental or social systems on which we depend. It requires a coordinated approach to planning and policy making that involves public participation. Its success depends on widespread understanding of the critical relationship between people and their environment and the will to make necessary changes."

"Sustainability is an economic state where the demands placed upon the environment by people and commerce can be met without reducing the capacity of the environment to provide for future generations."


One definition of sustainability:

It is the ABILITY of our economic, social and ecological systems to provide a healthy, productive, meaningful life for all members of our community.

Adapted from Sustainable Measures, West Hartford, CT. www.sustainablemeasures.com

Sustainability in Context: Global to Local

1/09- Bedford Environmental Summit

2/09- Pre-committee interest meeting

3/09- First Sustainability meeting

4/09- BOE establishes Sustainability Committee

5/09- Target areas identified, sub-groups formed

6-9/09- Goals developed, statement drafted

10/09- Present Goals and Statement to BOE


The Road to a Sustainability Committee

• Unique role of schools

• “Three-C’s” approach

• Target areas and goals


Commitment to Sustainability and EfS

• Healthy ecosystems, healthy communities and healthy economies are inextricably linked.

• EfS fosters respect and preservation of our histories, valuing culture and community, care for others and the environment, and action to create a fair, healthy, and safe world for all beings.


Education for Sustainability (EfS)

Food Cycle• Our vision: To ensure fresh, wholesome, organically-

sourced (whenever possible) local foods are served daily in our schools with attention to sustainability and lifelong health.

• What's Next?: To identify our current food sources and practices, and identify the leverage points for integrating more locally sourced food into our schools.


Campusfood, energy, facilities/grounds, waste/reuse/recycling

Energy• Our Vision: To reduce our use of non-

renewable fuels through cost-effective energy efficiency improvements and practices, and through the development of alternative sources of energy.

• What's Next?: To conduct and analyze district-wide energy audit as a baseline for maximizing efficiency.



Buildings, Grounds, Facilities, Water• Our Vision: To ensure that sustainability is a well-

represented priority in capital projects planning and implementation, procurement processes and material use district-wide.

• What's Next?: Conduct an audit of materials and supplies procurement to identify opportunities for reducing waste and using “greener” products; conduct a building audit for water use and identify opportunities for conservation.



Solid Waste and Reuse/Recycling• Our Vision: Strive to become a "Zero Waste" school

district by following the EPA's hierarchy - to redesign, reduce, reuse, recycle/compost first, before sending any remaining materials to disposal facilities .

• What's Next?: To execute a waste audit for the purpose of establishing a baseline for the District wide recycling rate.



• Our Vision: To prepare students and teachers to be leaders and change agents capable of bringing about a sustainable future by integrating sustainability education across the K-12 curriculum.

• What's Next?: Build a shared understanding, common language and collaborative commitment throughout the Bedford Central School community regarding the critical importance of sustainability education and practices.


Curriculum

Transportation• Our Vision: To minimize our use of fossil fuels

community-wide through maximizing school bus ridership, walking and bike riding, limiting vehicle idling, and implementing state-of-the-art technology to reduce vehicle emissions.

• What's Next?: To initiate an anti-idling awareness campaign during the Fall of 2009 designed to inform the community about our policy, Westchester County law, and our efforts to reduce air pollution related to school transportation.


Community

Documents

Sustainability Committee Bedford Central School District Sustainability Committee