MVLA Named First Green District in Bay Area

The Santa Clara Green Business Program recently named the Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District a Certified Green high school district.

Following the recent green certification for Alta Vista High School, the MVLA Adult School and the District Office, the high school district was recognized as the first totally green school district in the Bay Area.

The Mountain View Los Altos Union High School District turned on its solar panel system at Los Altos High, left, in April.

Los Altos High School led the way in 2010 when it became one of only three county high schools to receive green certification, followed last year by Mountain View High School, the fourth in the county to earn the recognition.

To secure green certification, organizations and businesses must meet high standards of environmental performance in the areas of solid-waste reduction and recycling, water and energy conservation, pollution prevention and greenhouse-gas emission controls. In each of these areas, the district exceeded the number of required and recommended green actions.

Many individuals and organizations contributed to meeting the certification standards. The MVLA Board of Trustees made sustainability a strong district priority. Principals Wynne Satterwhite (Los Altos), Keith Moody (Mountain View), Bill Pierce (Alta Vista) and Director Laura Stefanski (Adult Education) were instrumental in the process.

Students on each school’s green teams, parent liaisons and Environmental Club advisers Greg Stoehr (Los Altos), Teri Faught (Mountain View) and Elvis Lopez of the District Office supported the program.

“Because of their efforts, we will continue to go green,” Superintendent Barry Groves said.

The district presented a report, “Energy Efficiency Makes for Successful Bond Campaigns,” to the statewide Green Technology conference in Pasadena Oct. 17.

Article any source