Taking Green Initiatives at The Post Oak School

Statement of Purpose

For the 450 of us adults, children and students who on a daily basis call Post Oak School home it is important to us that the school provides an architecturally beautiful building and aesthetically pleasing classrooms, and also that it offers all of us a healthy, productive and sustainable environment.

The Green Schools Initiative

With this in mind a small group of parents and school employees have formed The Green Team. We have learned that many other schools are doing the same thing. Not wanting to reinvent the wheel we found a group with whom we shared a common vision. The Green Schools Initiative (www.greenschools.net) has provided us with the framework for our statement of purpose.

The Precautionary Principle

The foundation of this metaphorical “green” schoolhouse is The Precautionary Principle. This principle is based on the concept of “an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.” This means that we will take the time to research the costs and benefits of alternatives before making decisions which impact the school’s environment.

Our aim is to broaden our view to consider the environmental impact of decisions along with cost effectiveness. We aim to research and educate ourselves about alternatives and offer this information to our school leaders. We will continue to take a proactive approach using this principle in our decision-making when addressing issues that impact children’s environmental health and the ecological impact of schools.

In the procurement process we will ask questions such as these:

• What environmental impact will this product, repair, or action have on the school?
• How can we reasonably attempt to research and educate ourselves to find available alternatives?

The Four Pillars

Flowing out of the Precautionary Principle are the four pillars. Simply stated these pillars allow us to transform our school into a healthy, sustainable, and dynamic learning center. This includes focusing on the subjects of sustainability, children’s health and promoting a green curriculum at Post Oak School.

Pillar 1:             Strive for a toxics-free environment

Pillar 2:             Use resources sustainably

Pillar 3:             Create a green and healthy space

Pillar 4:             Teach, learn, engage! Take an active role in shaping the world we share.

The Green Team will continue to serve as a catalyst for building a greener Post Oak School.

Respectfully submitted by the Post Oak Green Team
January 22, 2008