For more than 40 years Bancroft has coupled its educational purpose with due
respect for Mother Earth. Today, the PTO Environmental Committee furthers
that tradition through a number of "green" initiatives and imperatives. In a
nutshell, the Committee helps Bancroft students, staff, faculty and parents
to think and act responsibly and aggressively in matters relating to natural
resource consumption, processing and disposal.

The Committee has three missions:

1) to audit the PTO's financial and program activities for environmental
impact and, where feasible, to implement healthier alternatives. For
example, the Committee works with Pasta Night organizers to deliver
low-waste meals without busting the budget or compromising the culinary
experience.

2) to proactively and reactively disseminate environmental information to
the Bancroft community. Often this means providing a speaker, movie or
entertainer to spread the green gospel in a grade-appropriate manner. This
also means stocking the Bancroft media center with books and videos for
eco-curious students and faculty; providing the principal and senior
custodian with timely, relevant research; sponsoring field trips to waste
treatment and reclamation facilities; and providing faculty with the means
to include environmental science in their curricula.

3) to support or engage Bancroft stakeholders in various hands-on projects
designed to energize participants while lowering the School's carbon
footprint and/or raising its aesthetic appeal. Past, present and future
initiatives include reusable water bottle sales; spring plant-a-tree day;
walk-to-school days; comprehensive in-house recycling campaigns; anti-idling
and energy conservation awareness; and a used clothing auction, just to name
a few. The Committee also acts as an ombudsman by channeling ideas and
sentiments to the PTO, principal or superintendent for consideration and/or
enlightenment.

The PTO Environmental Committee is currently (January 2013) operating with a
skeleton crew, so we are actively recruiting new members! The pay is low,
but the payoff is high. Interested parents should contact Brad Weeden.