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BLS YouthCAN: Guardians of the Greenosphere!

BLS YouthCAN: Guardians of the Greenosphere! Julia Holtzman, Alexxa Robinson, Annalise Van Even, Victoria Tran, Marrisa Springle, Jeremiah Link, Carol Bowe, Maddie Higgins, Ian Hay, Molly Flanagan Boston Latin School - YouthCAN Boston, Massachusetts. PART 1: Our Environmental Issue.

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BLS YouthCAN: Guardians of the Greenosphere!

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  1. BLS YouthCAN: Guardians of the Greenosphere! • Julia Holtzman, Alexxa Robinson, Annalise Van Even, Victoria Tran, Marrisa Springle, Jeremiah Link, Carol Bowe, Maddie Higgins, Ian Hay, Molly Flanagan • Boston Latin School - YouthCAN • Boston, Massachusetts

  2. PART 1: Our Environmental Issue Global Warming & Climate Change: Educating The Community & Inspiring Action Currently, the earth as at risk due to detrimental changes in the climate. This is caused by the frequent over-use of the planet's resources, often faster than the earth can replenish them, as well as the misuse of our resources in ways that are simply not sustainable. Educating the community and inspiring them to change is key to reducing human impact. The more the community is aware of how their actions contribute to global climate change, the more effectively we can enlist one another in changing our everyday behaviors in ways that become part of the solution. We Need Less Dependence on Fossil Fuels, More Conservation & Renewable Energies Pollution caused by fossil fuels is known to deplete the ozone layer as well as increase the Green House Gas Emissions that are helping to drive global warming. Fossil fuels are not limitless, and our dependency on them must be addressed. One way to become less dependent on fossil fuels is to increase renewable energy sources, such as solar, wind, and hydro-electric. Why We Selected Our Topic: We chose this topic because climate change and its impacts are things that are effecting everyone. From changing weather patterns, to coming water and food shortages, to world health and economic crises, global climate change and GHG emissions are things we all need to care about. We believe educating people in our own community about the things they can do to address climate change is really the best way to make a difference. It's where real change always begins. In this project we targeted a whole series of actions aimed at raising awareness and changing the behaviors of people in our school with regard to emissions, energy, renewables and youth-led climate activism. Our action plan Addresses: • Engagement: Initiatives That Engage Our School Community in Making Specific Changes to Benefit the Air and Climate • Education: Events & Activities Designed to Educate Our School Community, Reduce Energy Consumption and Shift Towards Smarter, More Efficient Practices

  3. PART 2: Our Action Plan Air Curbing Our Dependence on Fossil Fuels • "Plastic Planet" - Screening and Sculpture • Renewables - SmartPower Speaker Event- Brian Keene, President of Smart Power • Solarize Boston Event - With Solar City & Mayor's Energy Chief • Carbon Carpoolooza • Wind Feasibility Study & School Wide Contest • BLS Update of Energy Action Plan & GHG Reduction Calculations • Youth Green Jobs - 2012 Energy Audit Presentations & Constellation Energy To Educate Grants to Implement Energy Saving Measures E2 Energy To Educate Grants We partnered with: SmartPower; Solar City, Jacob Glickel Chief of Staff in the Office of Energy & Environment for the City of Boston; Members of our Science Faculty; Constellation Energy; BPS Facilities Department; Boston Youth Environmental Network, Mass Energy Consumer's Alliance; The Clean Energy Center

  4. PART 2: Our Action Plan (continued) Climate Educating to Promoting School-Wide & Community-Wide Change • Speaking at a Climate Vigil on City Hall Plaza • Collecting & Delivering a GHG Reduction Petition to MassDEP • Holding an ACE Climate Assembly at our School for 800 Students (7th & 8th Grade) • Holding a Goods Drive for Green Team Families In NY & NJ who were affected by Superstorm Sandy to teach about Climate Change • Advancing Our Shared Green Roof Proposal with Presentations at City Hall & to School Superintendent • Introducing Random Acts of Green Initiative • Launching A School-wide "Get Informed" Speaker Series • Installing Giant Globe Representing School Wide Sustainability (in the BLS Library) We partnered with: The Alliance for Climate Education, Kids Vs Global Warming, Our Children's Trust, Witness.org, BU Law Students, the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection, The Superintendent of Boston Public Schools, BLS School Administrators, our Science and Art Departments, a history teacher, and 15+ area non-profits who will be speakers in our Get Informed Speaker Series.

  5. PART 3: Implementing Our Ideas: Promoted Use of Solar Power: Solarize Boston 1. Hosted Brian Keene, President of Smart Power in Washington D.C., who talked to 4 sections of environmental science students about solar power, and even distributed 300 copies of his new book "Green Is Good". 2. Hosted a Solarize Boston event to promote solar panel installation program available to Boston residents. Educated About & Reducing GHG Emissions & Toxins 1. Organized a "Plastic Planet" Movie Screening for students - Building of plastic art sculpture to promote reusing materials and not wasting plastic. -Collected plastic materials and designed abstract sculpture with it. We are still in the process of construction 2. Organized and funded Carbon Carpoolooza - An initiative to promote carpooling and reduce emissions of greenhouse gasses - Designed a Giant T Sandwich Board (our public Transportation in Boston) & a Wearable Greenline T Car for to entertain the student body - Handing out raffle tickets to students getting out of full cars or off public transportation every morning. -Applied for grant to fund prizes

  6. PART 3: Implementing Our Ideas (continued) Students with Goods Drive http://www.blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Sandy_Goods_Drive.html General Climate Education To Inspire Change 1. Hosted Alliance For Climate Education (ACE) Assembly -Contacted ACE & Set up date for assemblies; Reached out to 800 7th and 8th graders to promote Assembly -Asked 8th Grade to Challenge 7th Grade to Goods Drive for ACE Green Team Families in NY & NJ impacted by Hurricane Sandy - Presented at ACE Assembly about BLS School Wide Sustainability Activities 2. Launched Random Acts of Green Initiative - Held School Wide Sustainability Logo Design Contest - Selected Winning design for reproduction on T-shirts, waterbottles, and buttons to be distributed by administration and participating teachers to students "caught" doing random acts of green! A design from our Logo Contest! ACE Assembly Link to Random Acts of Green Proposal: http://www.blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Random_Acts_of_Green.html

  7. PART 3: Implementing Our Ideas (continued) General Climate Education To Inspire Change - Continued 1. Get Informed Series - Got permission to use cafeteria during study hall periods - Contacted and confirmed a list of speakers, one per week - Created a sign up form online, enabling students to sign out of their study hall, get a snack, and get informed about various climate & sustainability issues. 2. School-Wide Sustainability Globe - Was offered museum sized globe - Created banner to go -Installed globe & banner in library School Wide Sustainability Link: http://blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./School-Wide_Sustainability.html Get Informed Series Link: http://www.blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Get_Informed_Series_Signup.html

  8. PART 3: Implementing Our Ideas (continued) Renewables 1. Wind Feasibility Study -Connected with BLS science teachers -Applied for mini-grant for anemometers -Created contest to track the data from rooftop anemometers and predict turbine location for a chance to win tickets to sky venture 2. Calculated GHG Savings at BLS -We decided to calculate the reduction in greenhouse gas emissions since 2008 (when we started implementing energy saving measures) 3. Youth Green Jobs Energy Audit Training Program Presentations -Participants of Youth CAN's summer energy audit training program presented their findings and proposals at an event on 12/12/12, after which Youth CAN presented each group with Constellation Energy 2 Educate Grant funds to implement energy saving measures in their schools Constellation Energy 2 Educate Link: http://www.blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Green_Jobs_files/Constellation%20Release.pdf Wind Study Link: http://blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Wind_Study_Proposal.html

  9. PART 3: Implementing Our Ideas (continued) Renewables Cont. 1. Attended Climate Vigil at City Hall -Delivered a speech to inform the government officials of our desire for stricter climate related legislation 2. Greenhouse Gas Emissions Youth Petition - Gathered 389 signatures for petition - Brought petition to Massachusetts DEP (Dept. of Environmental Protection) - Advocated for lowering greenhouse gas emissions by 6% per year until 2050 3. Shared Green Roof Presentations - Presentation at Boston City Hall, speaking to Brian Swett, Chief of Environment and Energy for Mayor Menino -Presentation to Boston Public Schools Superintendent, Dr. Carol Johnson Climate Vigil Link: http://www.blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Climate_Vigil_Photos.html#1 Mass DEP Link: http://www.blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Mass_DEP_Petition.html

  10. PART 4: Evaluation & Results • Youth CAN got approval for the shared green roof from the superintendent. • 4 Environmental Science sections attended Brian Keane's smart power lecture. • 300 copies of Green is Good were issued to students. • 55 adults attended Solarize Boston Event. • 18 Boston Latin School families pursued solar panels on their roofs. • School-wide community was engaged in Carpoolooza (2,400 students) • School-wide community was engaged in school logo contest for random acts of green (2,400 students) • More than 15 community organizations were engaged as speakers for the "Get Informed Speaker Series" • 800 7th and 8th graders attended the ACE climate assemblies • 2 car loads full of goods donated to NY & NJ green teams for Hurricane Sandy relief. • 389 signatures were collected & 66 students delivered them to Mass DEP We encountered a few minor challenges working with our school administration in the sense that coordinating with them sometimes slowed us down a bit, but gaining their buy-in was crucial for our ultimate success because it really helped engage the faculty in supporting our initiatives in important ways for our school wide sustainability push. We were helped by the entire science department as well as art and history teachers!

  11. PART 4: Evaluation & Results (continued) • Calculating our Greenhouse Gas Emission Reductions • Since December of 2008, we have been implementing energy saving measures at BLS. Because our Lexus 2 application is about air and climate, we wanted to calculate the progress we have made. We reached out to students in the science department asking them to compare 2008 utility bills with current utility bills and calculate our greenhouse gas savings. We were delighted to find: • Over a four year period we have reduced our Green House Gas emissions by 32% • Our EPA ENERGY STAR rating has improved from a 72 in 2008 to a 92 in 2012 • Our water consumption has decreased 12.2% and our non-transportation energy use has decreased 35.6% • We have reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 31% Our Lexus II Video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1e2X7HPHitY&list=UU5Et1D3QWW3dEj6rLmHeeLQ&index=2

  12. We Have Plans... See official prizing breakdown See official rules

  13. Solarize Boston Event Project Gallery Advertising Wind Study Michael Jackson says Solar Power is a Thriller and Green is Good! Solarize Boston Link: http://blsyouthcan.org/BLS_Youth_C.A.N./Solarize_Boston.html

  14. Project Gallery Green is Good!! In the Superintendent's Office!!

  15. Responding to Climate Change effects with Sandy Goods Drive Project Gallery Brian's car loaded to the ceiling with goods for NY & NJ Proposed Speakers for Get Informed Series Topic Program Speaker History School Food Farm To School Program Boston Kim Zeto Food Miles The Food Project John Wang Toxic Tours Dudley ACE REEP Dave Jenkins Climate Change The Alliance for Climate Education Brian Stillwell Composting, Worms ReVision Urban Farm Dorchester Shani Fletcher Energy Conservation Cape Light Compact Debbie Fitton Renewable Energy Mass Energy Consumer’s Alliance Erin Taylor School Gardens Green City Growers Jessie Banhazl Water Conservation Go Ground Water in MA Kelli Loilira Environmentalism EPA Kristen Conroy Youth Networking BYEN Helen Christou Youth Networking BYEN Dawn Chavez Think Outside Bottle Corporate Accountability InternationalComposting Hands to Earth Composting Karen DiFranza Composting City Soil and Greenhouse Everett Hoffman City Soil and Greenhouse Bruce Fulford BLS Zach Smith BLS Angela Jamal Community Service BLS Tim Gay Conservation Emerald Necklace Conservancy Brittany Dunn Toxic Cleaning Green Schools Robin Organ Green Roof Studio G Architects Gail Sullivan Environmental Justice The City School Seth Hirschbaum Smoothie Biking Bikes Not Bombs Arik Grier Legal Activism Environmental League of MA Kaelin Holland Fair Trade Equal Exchange Kayleigh DeMello Futuristic Energy Tech MIT Grad Students Contact Trish Weinmann Art & Sustainability Mass ART Carolyn Lewenberg

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