Pacific Ridge School Among First in San Diego County to Join Green Schools Alliance

CARLSBAD, CA, November 20, 2010 (Press-News.org) Following the opening of its 32,500 square foot energy-efficient high school building designed to achieve Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) for Schools Gold Certification, Pacific Ridge School has joined the Green Schools Alliance. Membership empowers students to raise awareness about climate change and conservation, and brings communities together to identify and implement local and global energy conversation programs.

gOur membership in the Green Schools Alliance is evidence of our commitment to reducing our carbon footprint,h said Melissa Sullivan, a Biology and Environmental Science teacher at Pacific Ridge School. gIn addition to opening our energy-efficient high school building, we continue to follow up on our commitment with sustainable practices. These efforts create top-of-mind awareness of our everyday impact on the environment for our students, faculty, families and the global community.h

Among the programs to be implemented by Pacific Ridge School is the Green Cup Challenge, slated to take place in January and February, 2010. The effort is the first and only student-driven, interschool energy challenge inviting schools to measure and reduce campus electricity use and related greenhouse gas emissions, while supporting other campus egreenf efforts such as recycling and water conservation.

Pacific Ridge School joins only two other Green Schools Alliance members in San Diego County – The Bishopfs School and La Jolla Country Day School – and 35 other schools in the State of California. To join, schools must be active participants in global efforts to conserve resources and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Pacific Ridge School elected the highest membership level, the gClimate Champion,h committing to reduce its carbon footprint by at least 30 percent within five years, and achieve carbon neutrality by 2020.

In addition to the Green Cup Challenge, Pacific Ridge School will participate in ongoing trash reduction, recycling and water conservation programs, fostering friendly competition and communication among other schools in the area.

For more information about Pacific Ridge School and its mission of academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, visit http://www.PacificRidge.org. For more information about the Green Schools Alliance, visit http://www.greenschoolsalliance.org.

About Pacific Ridge School:
Opened in the fall of 2007, Pacific Ridge School is a non]profit, independent middle and high school located in the North County, San Diego. With the distinctive mission of building a community that fosters academic excellence, ethical responsibility and global engagement, Pacific Ridge offers a first-rate educational experience to prepare students for college and a purposeful life. For more information, visit http://www.pacificridge.org. Pacific Ridge School does not discriminate on the basis of religion, gender, sexual orientation, race, creed, or national origin in the administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, and other administered programs.