By Khalida Sarwari
The menu in the Saratoga High School cafeteria boasts two extra vegetarian options this year, and new hydration stations can be spotted in the cafeteria and behind the library, all thanks to a school commission that is working toward a greener campus.
Ideas have been stirring among the eight members of the Saratoga High School Green Commission once again. The group, tasked with creating, promoting and facilitating environmentally friendly initiatives, is looking at taking on the front parking lot and turf next.
The plan is to retrofit the parking lot with solar panels. The commissioners also recently began exploring alternative turf materials after a student published an article in the school newspaper claiming that the existing turf may contain carcinogens. While the latter is still in discussion phase, the commission has been focusing most of its energies on the solar panels.
“This is a big project we’re still working on,” said Supriya Khandekar, a 16-year-old junior and one of two head commissioners. “We just thought it would be a great idea to make use of the abundance of solar energy that is available to us. If you look at Lynbrook and Leigh, they have solar panels and we’re not there. So we really wanted to push for that.”
The idea was hatched last year, said Supriya. The first thing the commission did was consult with architects about the possibility of installing solar panels in the parking lot. Commissioners then wrote a proposal that they presented to the school district board this past spring. As it stands, the plan is under consideration but has been met with opposition, Supriya said.
“Some people feel that the aesthetics may take away from the architectural aspect of our school, but it will make our school look more modern,” she said. “We wanted to emphasize the environmental factors.”
Aesthetics aside, the cost of such a project–estimated to be at least $1 million–poses a major obstacle, Supriya said. The commission has been floating the idea of starting a booster fund to collect donations and is also looking for other sources of funding.
“It’s a big expense, but it will definitely be worth it,” Supriya said.
The ultimate goal, she added, is to become green certified. To that end, the commission has launched a Facebook campaign called “Go Green Saratoga,” which “promotes green spirit” in the form of weekly tips and announcements. Recently, commissioners held a Green Summit, inviting their peers for an after-school presentation and discussion at the library on the projects they’re working on. The commission has also reached out to its counterparts at Los Gatos High to “bridge efforts and do a green project together” this school year, Supriya said.
“Saratoga High School is already well known for its academics, sports and music, and that’s great and we’re proud of that,” she said. “But in this day and age, it’s important for other schools to see that we care about our environment. I think it’s a responsible thing on our part as students and young leaders.”
