Skip to main content

King County Green Schools program success story: Cascade View Elementary School

Success story: Cascade View Elementary School

School District: Snoqualmie Valley
School Location: Snoqualmie
Began participating in the Green Schools Program: June 2007

Level One of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in June 2009
Level Two of the Green Schools Program: Achieved in June 2010

Waste reduction and recycling

  • In 2009-2010, Cascade View Elementary worked with the district to eliminate plastic silverware, clam shells and polystyrene bowls. These were replaced with durable, reusable products which prevented nearly 10,000 plastic items from going to the landfill each month.
  • The school increased its recycling rate by 58 percent, from 16 percent to 38 percent. The school accomplished this by increasing classroom recycling and initiating a lunchtime recycling program for milk cartons and other materials.
  • The school implemented a Waste Free Wednesday to encourage durable and recyclable packaging in lunches sent from home.
  • Students and staff sold ReUsies to students to help cut down on the use of Ziplock plastic bags.
  • Stickers were placed on paper towel dispensers to remind students, staff and visitors to reduce the amount they use.
  • By decreasing paper use, making double sided copies and encouraging use of paper that has been used on one side, teachers reduced the amount of paper ordered for the workroom and saved more than $300 in a single month.
  • Recycling containers were added to classrooms for paper and other recyclable materials and to the lunchroom for milk cartons, juice boxes, plastic bottles and aluminum cans.
  • Cascade View also collects plastic bags, eyeglasses, cell phones, printer cartridges, Capri Sun packets and glue sticks for recycling.
  • School staff placed recycling stickers that list what can and can’t be recycled on classroom and lunchroom recycling containers.
  • Students educated their fellow students about why recycling is important.
  • 550 students decorated Earth Day reminder bags for the local IGA grocery store.

Energy conservation

  • Cascade View conducted a school challenge for students to pledge to reduce the amount of energy they use and to walk to school more.
  • The school reduced energy use after the district provided automatic computer shut down at the end of every school day.
  • Stickers were placed near light switches as reminders to turn off lights when they are not needed.
  • End of day checklists were used to help classrooms conserve energy.
  • The school completed the Green Schools Program Level Two energy conservation criteria.

Environmental education

  • In April 2010 Cascade View added garden planters for each grade level. These will be used as an outdoor classroom for units on conservation, life cycles and more.
  • Cascade View hosted the King County assembly to educate students and staff about waste reduction and recycling.
  • Teacher Elizabeth Johnson started a fifth grade Green Team. Students created paper reuse boxes, helped with recycling collection and worked on a litter reduction campaign.
  • Through regular newsletters and emails, the school improved communication to the school community about waste reduction, recycling and energy conservation.

Transportation options

  • Cascade View became a “No Idle Zone” school. The district helped install “No Idling” signs provided by the Puget Sound Clean Air Agency.
  • Students made signs and talked with parent drivers about turning off their engines when picking up and dropping off their children at school.
  • Information about avoiding idling was included in parent electronic newsletters.

Awards

Teacher Elizabeth Johnson received a King County Earth Hero Award in April 2010.

For more information about the school’s conservation achievements and participation in the Green Schools Program, contact:

Elizabeth Johnson, teacher
johnsonec@svsd410.org

Tim Nootenboom, principal
nootenboomt@svsd410.org

King County Solid Waste Division mission: Waste Prevention, Resource Recovery, Waste Disposal

Contact Us

 Call: 206-477-4466

TTY Relay: 711

expand_less