CVSan Green Ribbon Schools Program: Fifteen Castro Valley Schools Certified!

Fifteen schools located in the Castro Valley Unified School District (CVUSD) and/or Castro Valley Sanitary District (CVSan) boundaries have been certified by CVSan as Green Ribbon Schools for the 2015/16 school year. Certifications were presented by the CVSan Board of Directors at the June 14th Board meeting.

In 2007, CVSan launched the Green Ribbon Schools Program to guide schools towards sustainable waste reduction. This year, schools were required to complete a minimum of 39 activities, such as providing recycling and organics containers in all classrooms. All schools had to achieve a minimum 70 percent diversion rate.

Awards are based on a $1,500 flat rate plus add-ons for school size. Extra credit is awarded for additional activities completed and excellence in diversion. Cash awards range from $1,600-$2,650 and there are no spending restrictions. 2015/16 Green Ribbon certified schools received the following awards:

School Award Amount*

1. Canyon Middle School: $1,995

2. Castro Valley Adult School: $2,465

3. Castro Valley Elementary School: $1,810

4. Castro Valley High School: $2,335

5. Chabot Elementary School: $1,745

6. Creekside Middle School: $1,805

7. Independent Elementary School: $1,860

8. Jensen Ranch Elementary School: $1,825

9. Marshall Elementary School: $1,770

10. Palomares Elementary School: $1,785

11. Proctor Elementary School: $1,795

12. Redwood High School: $1,785

13. Stanton Elementary School: $1,780

14. Sterling West Anchor Education: $1,850

15. Vannoy Elementary School: $1,765

Total: $28,370

*Awards funded by Import Mitigation Funds

All 17 public and private schools located within the CVSan and/or CVUSD boundaries were eligible to participate. For more information on the Green Ribbon program and to view the application, please visit www.cvsan.org/schools.

Additionally, the following schools received $9,831.55 in donations this school year from CVSan to promote recycling and food scrap recycling on campus. Donations are funded by various grants.

School Donation Amounts & Descriptions

Canyon Middle: $1,947.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Castro Valley Adult: $388.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Castro Valley Elementary: $811.00

Indoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Castro Valley High School: $927.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Chabot Elementary: $114.00

Indoor recycling containers

Creekside Middle: $90.00

Indoor organics containers & signs

Jensen Ranch Elementary: $33.00

Indoor recycling containers & signs

Marshall Elementary: $271.00

Mulch; Indoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Our Lady of Grace: $675.00

Indoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Palomares Elementary: $721.39

Organics box, Recycling & organics containers & signs

Proctor Elementary: $929.78

Organics box, mulch, compost; indoor recycling containers & signs

Redwood Christian: $1,731.00

Indoor & outdoor recycling & organics containers & signs

Redwood High: $210.00

Indoor recycling containers & signs

Stanton Elementary: $706.38

Indoor recycling & organics signs; Organics box for Earth Day

Sterling West: $23.00

Indoor recycling containers/signs

Vannoy Elementary: $254.00

Indoor recycling, organics & garbage containers and signs

Schools that participated in CVSan’s Earth Day Clean-up event on Saturday, April 23, 2016, received a total donation of 32 cubic yards of compost and 61 cubic yards of mulch.

As a result of our collective work, Castro Valley Green Ribbon certified schools now recycle and compost 81% of what used to be thrown in the garbage! Together, we are on the road to zero waste!