Greenest in the class
Every hour is Earth Hour for the students who protect the planet all the time
Israel joined world nations this week for Earth Hour, but some high schoolers always have the well-being of the planet in their sights.
The Sulam Tzur school at Kibbutz Gesher Ziv, for example, has already won several prizes for being one of the greenest schools in Israel.
Sulam Tzur recycles 32 types of waste, from including the cafeteria's fryer oil to electronics, plastic, paper, cans, and cellular phones.
Each classroom is equipped with three recycling bins: one for organic waste, one for paper, and one for batteries. Rainwater is used in the toilets.
But the school's crowning green glory is its solar energy system, which is located on the roof and produces 150 kilowatts, providing the school with free electricity.
Principal Regina Aviram would like to see a similar system installed on the roof of the soon-to-be-built amphitheater, which would produce another 150 kilowatts.
The Environmental High School at Midreshet Sde Boker also serves as an example of going green. Three years ago, the school began building an eco-friendly park that uses purified wastewater.
Students have even started a compost pile that produces organic fertilizer from food waste collected in the dining hall – which is all cooked in solar-operated ovens.
"The school focuses on the environment all day. We study and work on ecology, protecting the soil and the water," explained 16-year-old Nitzan Gat.
Matti Siver contributed to this report
