The Hill School Makes a 'Green' Pledge

Information Courtesy of The Hill School:

The Green Cup Challenge, a nationwide inter-school competition to reduce electricity usage, officially began Wednesday, January 16, 2013. This is the seventh year that The Hill School will participate in The Green Cup Challenge along with peer schools such as Lawrenceville and Blair. Last year during the four-week Challenge, The Hill School saved 15,050 kilowatt hours of electricity, which is enough energy to power 1.3 homes for one year. 

Last week, members of the Green Initiative, Hill’s student-led environmental organization, encouraged students and faculty to do their part in helping to conserve energy during the Challenge. Each person who committed to take small steps to save energy “signed” the pledge by adding their hand print to a banner that now hangs in the Dining Hall. The School community can save energy on campus in a variety of ways. For instance:

• Using an iPad instead of laptop to surf the Internet
• Using a desk light instead of an overhead light during
  study hall 
• Opening blinds or curtains and using daylight when possible
• Using a powerstrip to completely cut off power to 
  computers, stereos, chargers, etc. when not in use
• Adjusting laptop power settings to standby or hibernate after 10 minutes of inactivity. 
• Using cold water to wash clothing
• Air drying a load of clothing

As part of the School’s efforts to reduce energy consumption, this past summer the Sustainability Office installed motion sensors in the Student Center, which will turn off lights when not in use. Other groups are also striving to save energy, too. For instance, a few students in the woodshop, under the direction of Luke Block, are building drying racks for student dorms. Additionally, our Information and Technology Services Department, under the leadership of Kurt Ehland and Phil Hemingway, virtualized several Hill School servers during the spring of 2012. 

In celebration of the kick-off on Jan. 16, students who signed the pledge took part in a "green" dress down day. Additionally, the entire Hill community will enjoy a "150-mile" dinner, featuring ice cream from Longacre's and foods from other local businesses. 

All of these efforts are being spearheaded by the Green Initiative with the support of Hill's new Director of Sustainability Katie Eames.