Two of Henrico County’s newest school buildings have acquired LEED certification at the gold and silver level.
These new schools, Glen Allen High School and Holman Middle School, are located in central Virginia. Henrico County Public Schools (HCPS) officials met with architects before construction with intentions of making HCPS’s newest schools environmentally friendly.
Glen Allen High School’s design allows an abundance of natural light cutting back the need for a large amount of indoor lighting. The school will run with about 28% less energy than a minimally code compliant design according to The Henrico Citizen.
Holman Middle School was awarded the silver LEED certification by The Green Building Certification Institute. The school uses high tech mechanical equipment and lighting systems to cut back energy use by 30%!
To learn more about the ways these two schools are cutting back on water consumption check out the full article via The Henrico Citizen.
Henrico County also has two more LEED schools on the design board with one being planned in the eastern half of the county and one in the western half.
As you set out on your summer trip remember to do your part in Keeping Virginia Beautiful! Here are 5 easy steps you can take during your travels to reduce, reuse and recycle!
Bring a reusable water bottle on your trip! This is an easy way to stay hydrated throughout your journey! Certain water bottle companies now have the option of water bottles with a purification system that will allow tap water to filter before it reaches your mouth! These water bottles will allow you to fill up at almost any gas station or rest area as well as help you to reduce your plastic consumption and prevent the temptation of littering!
Use small refill bottles for toiletries. This smart tip will help save space in your suitcase and prevent you from having to buy travel-sized products that are wasteful to the environment. Small bottles will allow you to bring the perfect amount of your favorite and save you money as well.
Utilize an area’s public transportation! If traveling to an area where public transportation is offered try to take advantage of this service! Public transportation is a great way to get the local feel of an area and will save you money! This is also an extra opportunity to reduce your carbon footprint.
Respect Local Culture! When travelling to a certain region, make sure you educate yourself on the customs and cultures of that area. Supporting local businesses is a great way to do your part in sustaining their economy and will allow funds to feed back into that community!
Search out “green hotels” Many areas and eco-organizations offer lists of hotels that follow certain guidelines or have accreditations that are environmentally friendly. Lodging at destinations that support the environment is an easy way to have a comfortable stay while having the peace of mind that your hotel is doing their part for the green movement.
Remember to do your part to Keep Virginia Beautiful and Reduce, Reuse, Recycle. Now get out there and revel in some scenery!
“A Bag’s Life” Creates Buzz at America Recycles Day at VA Capitol
(Richmond, VA) – Nov. 15, 2010 – A statewide plastic bag recycling awareness campaign in Virginia called A Bag’s Life, which includes an interactive and educational website (www.abagslife.com/VA), mobile app with nearly 800 drop-off sites by zip code, and video contest was launched today during America Recycles Day at the Capitol. Keep Virginia Beautiful (KVB),Virginia Retail Federation (VRF), Virginia Recycling Association (VRA), American Chemistry Council (ACC), VA Department of Environmental Quality, and the Office of the Secretary of Natural Resources were among those in the public-private partnership who kicked off the program.
A Bag’s Life, through quirky messaging like “Don’t treat me like trash,” and “Gimme a second chance,” encourages Virginians to reduce, recycle and reuse their free grocery bags. It also reminds consumers that other bags like those used for dry cleaning, newspapers and bread, as well as wraps used on products like paper towels or bottled water also can be dropped off at many retailers for recycling.
“America Recycles Day has been set aside as a day when we individually pledge to take extra steps to reduce waste and make recycling work at home and in our communities,” said Mike Baum, executive director of Keep Virginia Beautiful. “By taking the extra time to bring grocery bags back to the store to be recycled, people are giving that bag a second chance to be made into something else like outdoor decking, park benches, or even new bags. It’s a simple earth-friendly practice that can yield tremendous results.”
Margaret Ballard, vice president, Advocacy for the Virginia Retail Federation, noted that while plastic bag recycling programs are not new to Virginia, a statewide educational initiative that partners public and private groups toward the common goal of recycling plastic bags is unique. The VRF was instrumental in obtaining state funding for the first Plastic Bag Recycling project in the state — in Isle of Wight County. Isle be Green was kicked off in September 2009, and to date more than 1 million plastic bags have been recycled in the county. Nationwide, plastic bag recycling is on the rise, with more than 832 million pounds recycled in 2008.
“Retailers across Virginia are well aware of the impact plastic bag litter has on our roadways and agricultural environment in Virginia,” said Margaret Ballard, vice president, Advocacy, Virginia Retail Federation. “That’s why nearly 800 retail stores are offering their locations to consumers as drop-off sites to recycle these bags. Recycling not only helps clean up plastic bag litter, but supports economic resources for our Virginia-based partners like Trex, the Winchester-based manufacturer of plastic building materials.”
Trex joined in the A Bag’s Life Virginia launch, as well as Hilex Poly, a plastic bag manufacturer with facilities in Richmond.
A Bag’s Life also includes a video contest and social networking element to fire up support for recycling. The easy to use recycle location finder lists the nearest drop-off points and the Google Maps option makes recycling plastic bags and wraps easier than ever before. The plastic bag icon on the website is designed to take on a life of its own, smiling when it’s happy, frowning when it’s not. Website copy suggests that individuals should step up and do their part to address litter and waste rather than blame the bag if it’s not being recycled or reused.
About A Bag’s Life in Virginia
A Bag’s Life is a public educational campaign that unites non-profits, business, community and government organizations around the common goal of promoting the three R’s as they relate to plastic bags — reduce, reuse and recycle. Partners include: Keep Virginia Beautiful, the Department of Environmental Quality, Virginia Retail Federation, Virginia Recycling Association, Trex and the American Chemistry Council. For more information visit www.abagslife.com/VA
Two of Henrico County’s newest school buildings have acquired LEED certification at the gold and silver level.
