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Bulkeley Wins $20,000 For Going Green

STEVEN GOODE

February 27, 2010

Bulkeley High School is going green.

And getting green, too.

A group of students in an advanced placement environmental class has landed $20,000 from CL&P for winning the utility's Live Green-Win Green contest, which challenges students to relate what their school is doing to become eco-friendly and to propose changes that would save energy and help preserve the environment. Contestants must submit a 1,000-word essay and a two-minute video explaining their efforts.

At Bulkeley, which competed against 11 other high schools in the state, the students had done research that showed the cafeteria had the potential to recycle 80 percent of its waste. With that in mind the students are considering putting some of the prize money toward buying recyclable trays for the cafeteria, which would reduce its landfill waste, and in turn reduce the electricity needed to run the garbage compactor and the amount of garbage that has to be hauled away.

In the meantime, the group has already had recycling bins placed next to garbage cans in the cafeteria and hallways and posted signs at key areas around the school to help develop recycling habits.

Conard High School in West Hartford, Staples High School in Westport and Wilby High School in Waterbury were runners-up in the contest and will receive $5,000 each.