Celebrating Earth Day Year-Round at M-DCPS
April 22 is Earth Day and Miami-Dade County Public Schools (M-DCPS) wantsstudents, parents and employeesto learn ways to help keep the planet clean and protect our environment. The District will be presenting students with enriching programs that dive right into this year’s national theme: Restore Our Earth.
Trying to reduce the carbon footprint of a large, urban school districtcan be a daunting endeavor. However, M-DCPS has been taking steps in the right direction by increasing its involvement in sustainability initiatives. The District has garnered national recognition for increased efficiencies in these initiatives. They include an emphasis on environmental operations, such as installing solar panels and water bottle-filling stations and eliminating plastic straws, which will both serve as an example to students and help meet the ecologicalchallenges facing our world.
M-DCPS has also been making strides within the areas of food and nutrition, facilities andtransportation.
Food and Nutrition
Using M-DCPS’ goal of having a safe and healthy learning environment as a guide, the Department of Food and Nutrition has been atthe forefront of the Lean & Green Sustainability Initiative. Some of its objectives include reducing food waste, using less resources, recycling and building sustainable practices in cafeterias.
Since the fall of 2015, Styrofoamcontainers have been eliminated in Miami-Dade public schools and replaced with compostable plates. Schools participating in the Garden-to-Cafeteria Program have used the compostable platesin their garden compost heaps. Through our community partner, The Education Fund, 26 elementary schools and K-8 centers havetransformededible gardens intoFood Forests. Students, with the help of teachers, plant the seeds andlearnthe science behind growing nutritious fruits and vegetables. They’re rewarded with a bounty of produce that food service staff then serve in school meals. The students also receive Food Forest produce to share with their families.
More than 500 million plastic straws are used every day in the United States. In 2019, M-DCPS removed straws from the utensil packets, eliminating 40 million plastic straws from the waste stream annually. This initiative supports effective and sustainable business practices, while reducing the amount of plastic waste in the environment that might otherwise be sent to the oceans and landfills.
As an endorser of the USDA’s School Meals Program, the District encouragesstudents to choose healthy and nutritious meal items that they intend to eat. This cafeteria option, Offer versus Serve, lets students choose what they want to eat so it reduces plate waste and less food is thrown away.
Office of School Facilities
M-DCPS recognizes the importance of green/sustainable/high performance building initiatives such as Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) established by the U.S. Green Building Council. These initiatives serve as a guide and reference for building owners, designers and builders to ensure that future buildings increasingly incorporate the “best practices” that will, in time, lead to a sustainable environment for all. M-DCPS urges architects, engineers, design professionals, contractors and others to utilize these concepts in all M-DCPS facilities.
The District’s Office of Design & Sustainability has implemented many features into the M-DCPS Design Standards, which are employed in all Capital construction projects. Some of these features include L.E.D. lighting; high-efficiency air-conditioning systems; tankless hot water systems; energy efficient window glazing to reduce heat; andSmart outlets to minimize electrical waste.As a result of such initiatives,overall expenditures for electricity have declined within the last 5 years. In 2015, the District paid approximately $61 million to energize 44.4 million square feet of operational area. In 2020, electricity expenditures totaled $55.4 million while operational area had grown to 45.3 million square feet.
NineM-DCPSschools have been designated as Green Schools by the Florida Department of Environmental Protection (FLDEP), which recognizes schools that make a commitment to conserve and protect Florida’s natural resources. Designated Green Schools create a healthier environment for students, employees and communities. Reducing water, energy use and waste helps lower operating costs.
Department of Transportation
Transportation is the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the country, with heavy-duty vehicles, including buses, playing a major role in the problem. M-DCPS has taken the first steps to reduce its carbon footprint by establishing and enforcing a “No-Idle” policy and ensuring that engine fuel/air filters are replaced in a timely manner as recommended by themanufacturers.
Recently, the District was awarded a grant by FLDEP to subsidize the purchase of 50 electric buses. This purchase will be spread out over the next four years with 10 units expected to be ordered this year.Additional purchases are conditional if funding is available.
Sustainability takes many forms. Be a part of M-DCPS’ sustainability efforts so we can both teach and pass on a healthy planet to future generations.
