A new committee of administrators, faculty and students has formed to find sustainable solutions for environmental issues throughout the Laboratory Schools.
The Sustainability and Environmental Action Council — formed last spring by director of operations Joe Wachowski — brings together members of the Lab community who are passionate about the environment.
The new council met Oct. 29 for the first time this year to hear George Madzhirov, the president of Lab’s new food vendor, HandCut Foods, articulate how the company’s sustainability efforts align with Lab.
Other endeavors discussed in the meeting include placing more stainless steel bins for recycling and garbage, like those already present in Gordon Parks Arts Hall, around the school.
This was a project facilitated by Green Team. Senior Paola Almeda, the president, said the proximity between the recycling and trash cans encourages people to be more mindful.
“The fact that they’re attached together, trash and recycling, kind of forces people to make a choice and gets people thinking when they’re dealing with their waste,” Paola said.
Paola sees the council as an opportunity for efforts on a larger scale with Mr. Wachowski serving as a gateway to the administration.
“Green Team, in the past few years, has tried to deal with some larger issues, but it’s hard because we’re just high schoolers,” she said.
The collaborative aspect of the council is very important to Mr. Wachowski as he works to facilitate meetings and agendas.
He wrote in an email to the Midway, “My hope is that we’re all equal partners moving towards the same goals.”
