Palmer Trinity School

BIR D'S EY E V IE W Promoting Conservation Written by D R . L E O P O L D O L L I N Á S , Sustainability Coordinator Around campus, the old style water fountains – requiring users to bend over, press a button and slurp – are quickly being replaced by new EZH2O™ bottle filling stations. The new, sensor-activated bottle filling stations fill two to three times faster than traditional drinking fountains and help to minimize plastic bottle waste in the environment. The design of these stations allows users to insert any water bottle and receive a stream of cold water. Thanks to an electronic sensor, the new systems provide touch-free sanitary operation, reducing the spread of germs. Members of the Eco Club worked with me to bring the fountains to Palmer Trinity School when they noticed that more students were carrying plastic water bottles and, rather than drinking from the fountain, they wanted to refill those bottles. However, they had difficulties filling their bottle adequately in a regular fountain because of the size of the bottle and angle of the spigot. The objective of this initiative is to educate students about conservation and decrease disposable water bottle use. The EZH2O™ bottle filling stations have what's called a Green Ticker™ – an innovative counter that indicates how many bottles have been filled. Students enjoy showing how green they are by tracking how many plastic bottles they have helped keep out of the landfills. Palmer Trinity School has taken a step in the right direction with these new water stations. The rapid bottle filling stations not only help the school community alleviate its reliance on bottled water for the sake of the environment, but having better access to free, clean and cold water can ensure that our students stay hydrated throughout the day without spending money on bottled water. The next logical step is to switch all the traditional 2 fountains to encourage students to fill up their own reusable bottles. The end goal is to eliminate disposable water bottles from campus and become a water bottle-free campus. 1 1. he Green Ticker™ allows students to keep track of how many T disposable water bottles have been saved from landfills by using re-fillable bottles. 2. President of the Eco Club, Fabiana Vivacqua '14, tests out the new bottle filling station located at the Humanities Building. LEGAC Y GI V ING The best way to ensure the gift of education for generations of students is through a legacy gift. This type of gift keeps on giving, providing funds to prolong our mission to inspire students to lead lives of honor, integrity and social responsibility. How does a gift keep on giving? By making a legacy gift to our school's Endowment fund, the interest earned on your gift may be reinvested in the school. Anyone can make a legacy gift. No matter the amount, each gift builds our Endowment and provides a lasting source of funding for our students and faculty. We often refer to charitable gifts made through a will or trust as "planned gifts," as opposed to outright gifts for building and renovation or Annual Fund gifts for ongoing operations. Through a planned gift, you are leaving a legacy for the life of your School beyond your own time. "The greatest gift we can give Palmer Trinity School and our students is the gift of education." — ACK BRUMBAUGH, J Past Board of Trustee Chair Contact Lauren Dowlen at ldowlen@palmertrinity.org or (305) 969-4282 for more information about leaving a legacy for Palmer Trinity students.

• Cover