Next to the flat, bright-green and sod-covered fields west of the William Lutz football stadium lies a depression in the terrain filled with native prairie plants that date back centuries. These plants, with roots sustained by the original land, and the conservation of the prairie as a whole are components of a greater initiative to make Glenbrook North more environmentally friendly.

Junior Sydney Cohen said that although she noticed the prairie during her warm-ups for cross country, she did not know about the efforts that went into maintaining that indigenous land.

Administrative efforts to promote green projects have increased recently because of heightened awareness about environmental issues and better incentives to make changes. Part of the approach to being more green is educating students and staff about administrative projects that promote eco-friendliness.

“When people don’t understand what we are doing behind the scenes, they can often undermine our efforts,” said Daniel Whisler, GBN plant operations manager. “People still believe the misconception that GBN doesn’t recycle, when in fact, we recycle over 34 cubic yards of material per week. However, when misled people throw food into recycling bins thinking that it doesn’t matter, that entire bin is now wasted and has to go straight to the trash. It cannot be recycled.”

  In recent years, school administration and facility operations have implemented eco-friendly changes that include converting all exterior and emergency lighting to LED lights, switching all paper towels and toilet paper to recycled products and installing water fountains with built-in water bottle fillers.

According to Kris Frandson, associative principal for administrative services, the school administration has also financially supported efforts to conserve the prairie, funded the completion of two irrigation ditches in front of the school and has agreed to only plant native vegetation on school grounds in the future instead of nonnative species.

“I think we, as a school, have always tried to err on the side of environmentally conscious,” said Frandson. “But over the last 10 to 12 years, we’ve realized that by making these eco-friendly changes, we are not just helping the environment, but also cutting costs and preserving the overall health of the people within our building.”

Cohen said that because she frequently makes changes in her life to lessen her environmental footprint, the administration’s efforts make sense.

“I am always willing to try to do what’s best for the environment, whether that’s reusing shopping bags, bringing a non-disposable water bottle or buying from responsible companies,” said Cohen. “That’s why I feel the school should also be proactive in [its] practices and in finding better ways to save resources.”

Whisler said that even though he has noticed a shift in attitudes, he also recognizes there must be a financially viable long term trade-off for all changes made, especially because of the initial high investment costs of such changes.

“The state has cut a lot of grants for lighting projects, so we can’t spontaneously make huge purchases to be more green,” said Whisler. “If we are changing the lights from fluorescents to LEDs, it’s not always going to be because of environmental concerns. LEDs save 80 percent more energy than traditional lighting … the energy and financial savings is mostly what has prompted us to redo a lot of our lighting.”

According to science teacher Mike Piskel, contributions from local businesses like Sunset Foods have allowed community members to save taxpayer money while also being green.

“We have a deal with Sunset [Foods] where every time someone brings in a reusable bag for their groceries instead of asking for a disposable bag, they donate a nickel to our conservation efforts,” said Piskel. “So far, it has raised thousands of dollars for our program, offsetting the need for some of their tax dollars.”

Piskel credits the work of community volunteers and students for pushing for change that reflects their passion for the environment and not necessarily monetary gain.

“The administration on its own can make good changes, but the involvement of students is what can make these changes really meaningful,” said Piskel. “The two irrigation ditches in the front of the school, the prairie in the back, the commitment to only buy native plants, these all wouldn’t have been possible without the contributions of students … and community members.”

Frandson said she recognizes how teamwork and collaboration within the school have redefined environmental efforts.

“When I see the work all the impassioned people in the school have done in preserving the prairie, making sure the soil is never tilled, pulling out all the invasive species, protecting all the native plants, I feel proud of what we have achieved,” said Frandson. “It sets a legacy for the future, for generations to come.”