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Rain Barrels are Newest Addition to Sanford Sustainability Initiatives

Over the past few weeks, two new rain barrels—which collect rainwater as a form of water conservation—have been installed on campus.
The first, at Sanford Hall, is intended to be used as an extra water source for the garden and plants around Sanford Hall. The second, at the Lower School building, will supplement science curriculum about the water cycle by giving students a visual, hands-on learning aid.

The barrels are part of a wider set of sustainability initiatives that Sanford has been committed to for several years. In the next several weeks, for example, new bulbs will be planted in the rain garden near the Sports Center’s water retention ponds. The beautiful and functional garden, which features plants native to Delaware, helps to absorb water and filter out pollutants that run off from the ponds. Other recent initiatives have included no-flush toilets in the Sports Center, and the upkeep of the Math/Science green roof.

This school year has also seen the return of “farm-to-table” food in the cafeteria, with CulinArt’s Chef Mike buying as much of his produce as possible from local farmers.

“Sanford is dedicated to sustainability,” said Lower School Technology Coordinator Patrick Martin, who also heads a “green committee” that plans and implements these initiatives. This demonstrated commitment has earned Sanford inclusion into the “Delaware Pathways to Green Schools” program, under which the school receives an annual energy audit conducted by the University of Delaware, help with energy benchmarking under EPA guidelines, and one-on-one support with implementing new initiatives. Earlier this year, Sanford was named a Delaware “Green Ribbon” winner for “exemplary achievement in reducing environmental impact, improving health and wellness of students and staff and providing effective environmental and sustainability education.”
 
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