Sustainability

Frank Barros - Director of Campus Sustainability The forested slopes of our mountain blend indiscriminately with the rolling hills of the southern Berkshire community. In order to take advantage of this situation, Berkshire School stresses learning that is rooted in what is local - the unique history, environment, culture, economy, and literature, of our particular place. Berkshire School’s commitment to environmental stewardship is rooted deep in its history. Since its establishment by Seaver Buck in 1907, faculty have continued to use “the mountain” to teach students respect for our natural resources. Berkshire School has stepped up with the intention of being a leader among independent schools in advancing the principles of sustainability.  Berkshire School is a charter member of the Green School Alliance (created by schools, from schools and is working with and through schools worldwide to take action on climate change and the environment) and a national coordinator of the Green Cup Challenge.  Berkshire School is the first secondary school in the country to partner with Clean Air-Cool Planet, the region's leading organization dedicated to finding and promoting solutions to global warming.  Finally, it has been recognized by the National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS) for its sustainability efforts and is an active member of the U.S. Green Building Council, National Wildlife Federation (NWF), and the Association for Advancement of Sustainability in Higher Education (AASHE). The science department’s Sustainability and Resource Management,  Environmental Science, and Forest Ecology electives, the Ritt Kellogg Mountain Program (RKMP), and the Sustainability Committee work to organize students, faculty, and the administration in setting a foundation for environmental actions. Berkshire School was the first secondary school in the country to be recognized by the National Wildlife Federation for its conservation efforts.  It won the Green Cup Challenge in 2008 (the first and only national student-driven, interschool Climate Challenge that supports student efforts to measure and reduce campus electricity use and related greenhouse gas emissions).  It was the first secondary school in the country to have its dorms earn the EPA's Energy Star Award for energy efficiency.  Finally, student conservation efforts were recognized with a grant from DoSomething.org's Increase Your Green Competition in 2009.