Meet Mark Biedron, co-founder of the Willow School

Mark Biedron, co-founder of the Willow School, one of the greenest schools in the country, talks about the features that make his school unique

TFK:
What is a green school? What features make it unique?

Biedron:
We look at green initiatives in five basic categories: what you do with your site, your water, your energy, your building materials, and your indoor air quality. So for example, we harvest all the water that falls on our roof, store it in a 57,000-gallon underground tank, reuse it to flush the toilets. We use recycled/salvaged materials. We use photovoltaics (solar panels) to make electricity from the sun.

TFK:
Why did you want Willow School to be green?

Biedron:
We need to start teaching our children the importance of living in harmony with our natural world and learning how to live without using up the planet's resources faster than the planet can produce them.

TFK:
Does the Willow School have classes that most schools don't? Or are the lessons tied to any features of the school? If so, what?

Biedron:
Our classes are tied to the green features of the building. So, for example, when we teach about water, we use the water cycle of the school.

The rainwater that falls on our recycled stainless steel roof is captured in our underground, 100% recycled plastic tank. It is pumped to a location where it is disinfected, then pumped into the buildings to flush the toilets. When the toilets flush, this septic water flows into a constructed plant bed, where we grow plants in the septic water. The microorganisms at the root zones of these plants feed off the pollutants and clean the water. This clean water is then allowed to perk back into the ground to recharge the local groundwater.

TFK:
Is there a recycling program? What is recycled?

Biedron:
Yes. We recycle all our paper, plastic, metal. We also have a composting program. We use all our cafeteria lunch waste for composting and combine it with any plant organic matter. This compost is then used on the school vegetable garden.

TFK:
What differences have you noticed in the students or teachers since converting to a green building?

Biedron:
We are all starting to think more about the consequences of our actions.

TFK:
Does Willow use green cleaning supplies? What is the benefit?

Biedron:
Yes. Better indoor air quality.

TFK:
Are there green school supplies?

Biedron:
Lots. Paper, pencils, art supplies, cleaning supplies, furniture.

TFK:
What's the biggest benefit or advantage of being a green school?

Biedron:
Saving energy and having everyone begin to realize that we are connected to our natural world and we need to care for it.

Angelique LeDoux
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