Local Newspaper Posts Story of HPEDSB's Bid for Green Funding

February 24, 2008

The Intelligencer recently posted the following story regarding Hastings and Prince Edward District School Board's quest for Ministry funding.

The public school board is going cap in hand to the Minister of Education asking for money to support a program that is helping to make the world "a greener place".

Earlier this week, the board unanimously agreed to send a letter to Kathleen Wynne asking for financial help to continue the EarthCARE initiative, a board-wide initiative which began in 2005.

Administered through a partnership with energy consulting firm Ameresco, EarthCARE doubles as a cost-saving program for the board while promoting environmental stewardship with students enrolled in the 54 schools of the Hastings and Prince Edward district School Board.

During the course of the scholastic year, students who participated in the EarthCARE program completed detailed building audits of properties owned by the board-including counting illuminated light fixtures, noting whether computers were left on and chronicling waste or recycling procedures at schools.

According to Don Tregenza, who manages facilities for the board, the program has saved approximately $375,000. in electricity costs since it began.

As a reward for participating in the program, each school received a portion of the attributed cost savings, which amounted to approximately $2000. each.

Tregenza said the schools "could use the money in any way they wanted," but were encouraged to use it for environmentally-related endeavours.

Response to EarthCARE from students has "exceeded expectations", however, this year funding from Ameresco to operate the program isn't available, which prompted board officials to pen a letter asking form money from provincial coffers.