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Students of Oyster River High School love to tell themselves that “green is the way to go” and that we are an extremely environmentally friendly school as well as society. However, when put into perspective and investigate it is quite apparent that Oyster River High School is not an extremely environmentally friendly school.
Establishments that consider themselves very environmentally friendly places usually utilize renewable energy. This can be anywhere from harvesting solar energy, harvesting wind power, or using bio-diesel fuel. Oyster River High School does not harvest solar energy, harvest wind power, and as of this year no longer attempts to use bio-diesel fuel. Does this mean that there is no chance to ever becoming a school that uses these services? Most definitely not, but what it does mean is that many changes do need to take place. Even though wind power and solar energy can be a great way to change, even smaller steps can be put into place. Some of these steps are simple and are ones that everybody has the power to accomplish. Students and faculty can make a conscious effort to recycle their milk bottle after finishing lunch rather than tossing it in the bin. According to the administration and janitorial staff of Oyster River High School, a large majority of recycling has to be discarded because people are careless and place items that are non-recyclable in the recycling receptacles. This can range from non-recyclable plastics to left over food from a meal. As stated before, both of these flaws can easily be corrected if staff and students simply disregard their items in the correct container. Another step that can be taken is using less paper. It is very likely to walk past a printer and see stacks of paper that have been printed but not ever used for anything. This step can be fixed as well, just print what is needed and nothing more. These bad habits can be changed as long as members of Oyster River High School substitute the bad for the good: recycle the correct materials and minimize paper use. It is quite possible that if these small steps are taken now that the bigger steps (solar power and wind power) could be taken in the future.
Grade: Oyster River High School receives a grade of a B-/C+ when it comes to substitution and renewability. People are trying to do these things and are talking about doing them, so all that needs to take place is the actual physical action of them happening.
Establishments that consider themselves very environmentally friendly places usually utilize renewable energy. This can be anywhere from harvesting solar energy, harvesting wind power, or using bio-diesel fuel. Oyster River High School does not harvest solar energy, harvest wind power, and as of this year no longer attempts to use bio-diesel fuel. Does this mean that there is no chance to ever becoming a school that uses these services? Most definitely not, but what it does mean is that many changes do need to take place. Even though wind power and solar energy can be a great way to change, even smaller steps can be put into place. Some of these steps are simple and are ones that everybody has the power to accomplish. Students and faculty can make a conscious effort to recycle their milk bottle after finishing lunch rather than tossing it in the bin. According to the administration and janitorial staff of Oyster River High School, a large majority of recycling has to be discarded because people are careless and place items that are non-recyclable in the recycling receptacles. This can range from non-recyclable plastics to left over food from a meal. As stated before, both of these flaws can easily be corrected if staff and students simply disregard their items in the correct container. Another step that can be taken is using less paper. It is very likely to walk past a printer and see stacks of paper that have been printed but not ever used for anything. This step can be fixed as well, just print what is needed and nothing more. These bad habits can be changed as long as members of Oyster River High School substitute the bad for the good: recycle the correct materials and minimize paper use. It is quite possible that if these small steps are taken now that the bigger steps (solar power and wind power) could be taken in the future.
Grade: Oyster River High School receives a grade of a B-/C+ when it comes to substitution and renewability. People are trying to do these things and are talking about doing them, so all that needs to take place is the actual physical action of them happening.
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