By Lakeridge High School and Lake Oswego High School Green Teams
Lake Oswego High School Green Team:
The Lake Oswego High School Green Team has been busy so far this year! We are composed of four committees:
Native Plants, Renewable Energy, Activism, and Curriculum. Here are updates from each
committee:
- The Native Plants Committee hosted its first ivy pull of the year in coordination with the OWLC
and in accordance with Covid-19 guidelines. The masked, distanced invasive species removal
event garnered support from 25 students and successfully cleared 1000+ square feet of ivy and
blackberries from the LOHS green areas. We are now coordinating another event for November
7th, and a planting event in December. - In the Renewable Energy Committee this fall, we have researched different ways to reduce both
the high school’s and our households’ energy consumption. We are working on reaching out to
PGE about their renewable energy program and our involvement in connecting with the LO
community, with the hopes of potential guest speakers. So far, we have contacted our school
janitor about the LED lighting in the buildings and showerhead installments and are currently
forming a resource document to send out to the school about energy conservation tips. - In the Activism Committee this year we have been working to reduce our school’s energy
consumption in the school by contacting school officials about light use. We have also signed
our school up for an Eco-Challenge where students select ways that they have been focusing
on environmental justice. Additionally, last week we hosted a speaker in our meeting who
discussed safe pathways to schools and the possibility of collaboration with the Green Team to
make a path in the back of the High School. Lastly, we have started doing Friday Fun Facts on
our Instagram page where we inform people about a fact about the environment and ways to be
more sustainable. - The Curriculum Committee has been doing an audit of classes at the middle and high school
level that directly address sustainability or climate change in their curriculum. We hope to put
together a complete audit of classes that include sustainability and climate change, as well as
acknowledge the teachers who already include these topics in their curriculum. The goal is to
see where we are in terms of sustainability and climate change education, and improve it in our
district.
Lake Oswego High School’s Green Team is always looking for volunteers or community members to speak or sit-in at
meetings. If you are interested in helping or learning more, contact Nate Foster.
Lakeridge High School Green Team:
As schools have learned to adjust to the new challenge this year, Lakeridge’s Green Team has
as well, adapting to the new online platform and continuing to push Lakeridge and Lake Oswego
as a whole to a more sustainable future. While some of our plans, like replacing disposable
forks, spoons, and knives with washable cutlery, have had to be put on hold, we’ve continued to do what we can. At the beginning of October, we participated in the People’s Eco Challenge, a 21-day environmental and social engagement program designed to push participants to make meaningful changes in their lives like reducing waste and increasing community participation.
Collectively, we’ve been able to make a significant difference and will continue to do so. Looking
forward, until we resume in-class instruction, we’re planning to continue doing what we can
online. We’re planning to hold Ivy Pulls and other volunteer opportunities, as well as adding a
page on sustainability to Lakeridge’s webpage to help better inform Lakeridge students and staff
about what Lakeridge has done, and what they can do, to increase sustainability. While things
have been chaotic recently, we can’t afford to stop fighting for sustainability.