Hi Umbra,
I'm the senior president for my high school class. My cabinet and I want to leave a "green" gift to the school. We would like it to be something that is on campus or easily visible. Can you recommend anything in the $10,000 to $15,000 price range or below? I go to a public school in Northern California, if that's any help. I would appreciate a quick response; the end of the school year is quickly approaching! Thanks so much!
Doug Bojack
Burlingame, Calif.
Dearest Doug,
How about some nice shiny solar panels? Talk about on-campus and visible! They are definitely the gift that keeps on giving -- although I'm not sure anyone would be able to read the plaque. If you have a big roof, the panels could spell out '07.
Pomp, circumstance, and solar panels.
Photo(s): iStockphoto
Solar is what came to me when I read your question. It may not be a practical gift for your class, given that it is mid-April and your mind is mainly upon graduation, not upon kilowatt-hours, net metering, and carbon emissions, but I'm not sure what else is currently on your list. If you truly wish to give a "green" gift, reducing the school's long-term carbon footprint is the best way to go.
California has been doing quite a bit with solar schools. There is a solar schools program with the California Energy Commission, Pacific Gas and Electric has been donating panels and curricula to schools in its service area, and I'm sure there's more. Your state also has other programs to help schools become energy-efficient, such as Bright Schools, so perhaps you could assist in funding an energy audit or something. Other states also have solar projects in their schools; it's not just enlightened Californians (oh -- pun!). I'm sure you and other students who want to pursue this idea have parents in the community who could help put a project together financially, engineeringly, and physically. And yes, you could buy a solar array for $10,000 to $15,000; they come in all sizes.
Of course, as I hope you know, I'm really not the person you should be asking. I'm afraid I don't know enough about your school, its environmental profile, whether it already installed solar during the recent California Energy Commission granting period, etc. You should ask the school administration -- maybe you already have -- or the board, or the facilities managers. What are their largest expenses as a facility, have they thought about reducing their costs/energy use, are there any small-capital projects on the wish list, could this money from the class be used as matching funds to raise additional funds from the community?
Here are a few other quick ideas, just in case my solar bee-in-bonnet is not quite right: use the money to set up a small scholarship program for graduating seniors who have shown commitment to the environment; start a fund to support buying local food for the cafeteria or plant a garden that will supply fresh greens; put the money toward reducing pollution from the diesel bus fleet; buy however many new, low-flow toilets you can afford; or pay to send all the groundskeepers to an integrated pest management seminar.
Whatever you do, I'm sure it will be appreciated. Congratulations, and good luck.
PVly,
Umbra
Ask Umbra on ditching dirty things
Comments
View as Flat
caniscandida Posted 5:00 am
25 Apr 2007
Solar panels are an excellent suggestion, given this sudden influx of money.
It all depends on the context, of course, but establishing a community garden, to be tended constantly by the students of that school, would be very worthwhile too.
I know nothing about that part of the country (I know little about anything, actually), but possibly something could be done to study the local river (presumably there is a river not far away), with a view to removing or altering its dam(s) (presumably, if there is a river in the PacNW, there is a dam, at least one). And investigation, and publication of results, may take money.
You environmentalist journalists should be constant advisers of these kids, no matter what direction they pursue.
And they should know, of course, that we wish them all the best.
Permalink
IdeaMill Posted 6:48 am
25 Apr 2007
It can be installed in a local pond to improve fishing, recreation, etc. Many municipalities in California have already begun using them, and this would be a great gift that would keep on giving long after you've graduated. If it costs a little more than you have, you might be able to get a grant from the city.
A nice celebration could be planned when it is installed, bringing your environmental efforts "to light!"
Permalink
kyotousa Posted 7:05 am
25 Apr 2007
The idea is to provide the district with a "gift" - money raised by a city's residents, foundations, etc. that offsets the cost differential between the annual payments for the PV system and what the district saves in electricty costs. The size of the "gift" depends on the size of the solar system and the rebate amount available from PG&E, but it is a relatively small amount (e.g., less than $40K for a 100Kw system producing about 160,000 KwH annually). In 7-8 years a district can be saving more in avoided electricity costs than it is paying for the system.
There are a lot of variations on this concept that can address the needs of a district. You can read a bit more at http://www.kyotousa.org and you are welcome to contact us to discuss how this might work for your school or school district.
Permalink