Willow Glen Resident
News
Thumbs up is given to LeZotte, Chirco's plan to draft green initiative
By Alicia Upano
Earth Day was celebrated April 22, but San Jose councilwomen Linda LeZotte and Judy Chirco want schools and communities to care for the environment every day of the year.
On March 28, the San Jose City Council unanimously passed a resolution drafted by LeZotte and Chirco to support the Go Green Initiative, a national effort to help schools develop environmental practices. The resolution combines LeZotte's environmental advocacy with Chirco's educational focus. Chirco represents San Jose District 9, which includes parts of Willow Glen, and formerly served on the Cambrian school board.
San Jose's Go Green efforts are just beginning. The two councilwomen and several city and county agencies are reaching out to area schools to make their vision a reality. The group has been meeting since last August to discuss the best way to introduce the Go Green Initiative to San Jose.
The initiative was launched in 2002 by Pleasanton parent Jill Buck. Buck created a flexible framework of green practices that schools could adopt, including recycling, composting and energy reduction.
In the past four years, more than 235 schools in 15 states have become Go Green schools. San Jose's first Go Green school is Leland High School, which is installing solar panels on campus. Ultimately, the school hopes to be energy-independent, said Deb Bogart, San Jose associate environmental services specialist.
"This is community driven. It's a parent, teacher, student kind of program," Bogart said. "They can take it to any level they want."
Although community members would ultimately head any program, Bogart said the city would partner with these groups, providing resources and connecting them to possible funding sources. The upfront cost that often deters struggling school districts from investing in green practices might be supplemented by rebates, mini-grants from local businesses and environmental organizations.
Schools that adopt measures such as solar energy or water conservation are not just helping the community; Bogart said the efforts will help generations of children develop an environmental conscience.
Some area schools already engage in environmentally friendly practices, and Chirco said the initiative "fits hand and glove with what's already going on."
In 54 of its schools, the Go Green Initiative has diverted 32,845 pounds of recyclables from landfills, in addition to recycling 715,765 pounds of paper, according to the initiative's website.
For more information about bringing the Go Green Initiative to a local school, contact the San Jose Environmental Services Department at 408.975.2533. To learn more about the initiative's framework, visit www.gogreeninitiative.org.
