The school's Green Team, launched in May 2010, focuses on encouraging environmentally sustainable practices both at the school and at home. Team initiatives include:

* An 8-week Cool the Earth program to encourage students and their families to take action to slow climate change.

* An EarthLab garden program (formerly C.O.M.P.O.S.T) that helps kids learn the importance of protecting the environment through focusing on growing the school's garden

* A Zero Waste Lunch program that encourages kids to compost and reduce throwaway items in their lunchboxes

* Enhanced schoolwide recycling and "greening" of school events

* A walking and carpooling program (parents can sign up to get carpool/walking school bus partners at http://montclairrides.erideshare.com)

* Paper reduction in parent communication

* Enhanced coordination with local creek and park cleanup activities

* Energy efficiency measures in existing school facilities

The Green Team has more than 50 volunteers and is headed by Jane McCrea and Kim Hoffman. Subcommittee chairs include Johnna Arnold and Lara Jealous (Earth Lab), Linda Haymes (Zero Waste Lunch), Corinne Whittall (Walk and Roll to School), Bill Senn (Energy) and Rachel Osajima (Art and Environmental Education).

Contact: Green Team Chair Jane McCrea, janemccrea@yahoo.com, or Co-Chair Kim Hoffman, kimchihoff@mac.com