This article was previously featured in PAISBOA’s Friday Flyer newsletter.
The PAISBOA Sustainability Group convened at The Agnes Irwin School (AIS) on January 14th. Head of School, Dr. Wendy Hill, welcomed over 36 participants from 13 different institutions and highlighted how sustainability has been integrated into the buildings and classrooms at AIS along with a special focus on aquaponics.
Dr. Wendy Hill welcomes the group in the LEED Certified Student Life Center.
The evening began in the LEED certified Student Life Center and included a tour of one of the school’s science classrooms led by James Miller, AIS’s middle school 8th grade science teacher, to showcase the EcoLife aquaponics and hydroponics systems. Miller explained the differences between hydroponics, systems that grow plants directly in water without soil, and aquaponics, systems that combine hydroponics with fish tanks. In these “closed loop” systems, plants and fish co-exist. The plants grow using water from fish tanks where they uptake the fish waste in the water as a fertilizer. Meanwhile, the fish enjoy clean water as nitrogen loving bacteria help clean the water of toxic chemicals like ammonia and eventually turn it into nitrates which the plants can then absorb as nutrients. This is all part of the nitrogen cycle.
AIS students are involved in all aspects of the aquaponics systems from feeding the fish to testing the water’s nitrogen levels. As Miller explained, “Aquaponics allows students to do some hands on learning and connect to the world around them. It’s a great way to bring sustainable education into the classroom.”
EcoLife’s aquaponics system in the classroom.
After touring the classroom, the group enjoyed a delicious low waste, plant-based dinner prepared by the CulinArt dining team. Produce for the dinner was provided by Common Market, an area nonprofit that many PAISBOA schools partner with to purchase produce from local farms.
Following dinner, the group learned more about the benefits of aquaponics from Riverbend Environmental Education Center’s Michael Barcus. Barcus explained how aquaponics can be beneficial to the environment. Since aquaponics takes up less space it helps to limit habitat loss associated with food production. In addition, aquaponics help reduce waste and pollution associated with commercial agriculture since no fertilizer is needed. As Barcus noted, “Aquaponics allows students to visualize water and waste systems that are happening around them every day while also learning about sustainability. Aquaponics is a great way to grow food sustainably and learn from nature.”
Mike Barcus explains the benefits of aquaponics in the classroom.
The night concluded with announcements of upcoming events:
Youth Climate Action Summit on Saturday, April 4 at the Schuylkill Center for Environmental Education for middle to high school students and their teachers.
The final PAISBOA Sustainability Meeting of the school year will take place at Germantown Academy on Tuesday, April 28th from 5:15 - 7:30 pm and will feature special guest speaker Maarten Pesch from WRT.
List of 2020 spring & summer events and professional development.
The PAISBOA Sustainability Group is a network of environmental sustainability champions from member schools. The group gathers three times a year at a member school for a tour of "green" campus features and discussion of a sustainability topic over dinner. Representatives range from faculty advisors to student environmental clubs, to members of a school "green team," STEM coordinators, facilities managers, and heads of school or directors of finance. Newcomers are always welcome.
For more information about the PAISBOA Sustainability Group, contact Ron Hill at rhill@paisboa.org or Mary Ann Boyer at maryann@boyersudduth.com.
This article was written by Shannon Ruane, Sustainability Intern at Boyer Sudduth Environmental Consultants and recent graduate of University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of Education.
