Environmental Sustainability

Green Cup Challenge

We are living beyond our means. As a people we have developed a life-style that is draining the earth of its priceless and irreplaceable resources without regard for the future of our children and people all around the world.

— Margaret Mead (1901-1978)

St. Andrew's students, staff and faculty will spend the month of February 2008 working together in a special effort to reduce energy usage on campus. Sustainability Coordinator Brianna Barkus has entered the School in the Green Cup Challenge (GCC), an interschool energy conservation competition that measures reduction in average campus electricity use over the course of one month. Overall electricity use will be measured each week during the month of February and compared to an average of the last three February's electrical usages.

As part of the challenge, each participating school must submit a five-minute motivational video—written, directed and edited by students—to energize the School community toward the aim of energy conservation and to challenge competing schools. The school that achieves the largest percent decrease in energy consumption will receive a trophy, and the school with the best motivational video will receive a gift basket of organic goodies.

St. Andrew's will be competing against 30 other boarding schools, including Phillips Exeter Academy (where the GCC was conceived in 2003), The Lawrenceville School, Deerfield Academy and Kent School. Environmental Stewards have already begun their efforts to rally the School behind this exciting challenge and to brainstorm creative ways of saving energy on campus. With the cooperation and support of the whole community, we think St. Andrew's has a good chance of winning this challenge. Most importantly, the GCC is an opportunity for St. Andrew's to translate principles and beliefs into actions that will produce results. Whether the School wins or not, the competition will challenge the St. Andrew's community to learn, grow and help the environment.