January 2009
Green School Initiative: This month we continued our preliminary planning and visioning meetings with members of the Davis Joint Unified School District’s new Green Schools Initiative. The Green Schools Initiative aims to function as an umbrella movement, drawing in green interests throughout the district, from bicycling, to alternative energy, to farm to school projects. We are excited to be forming a new partnership within the district with the goal of sustainability of programs.
DavisRISE Awarded Grant, Recycling Competition Launched: January 20th marked the launch of a Davis RISE (Recycling is Simply Elementary) recycling competition between four secondary schools in Davis. This competition was initiated due to the arrival of 50 clear-stream recycling containers to Harper, Emerson, and Holmes Junior Highs, and Davis Senior High School. The Davis RISE program, the recycling program of Davis Farm to School Connection, was one of five programs in California, and one of 85 out of a total of 1,400 applicants nationally, to be awarded a grant to support recycling efforts. The school that recycles the most bottles and cans at the end of the school year will be awarded a perpetual trophy. This competition allows students to illustrate the impact of keeping bottles and cans out of the landfill, and allows students to raise money from the recyclables they redeem.
Citrus Cooking Class at the Student Nutrition Services: On January 21st of this month, Georgeanne Brennan gave a seasonal cooking class to the Student Nutrition Services (SNS) staff, highlighting citrus as this month’s local and seasonal produce. SNS staff tasted several unusual varieties of citrus such as Satsuma mandarins, blood oranges, and Rangpur limes, before launching into their three recipes: Rice Noodles with Thai Peanut Sauce, Chicken Salad with Ginger, Mint, and Mandarins, and Spicy Soup of Mandarin and Coconut.
UC Davis Student Nutrition Association Volunteers: On the last day of this month, 25 UC Davis Student Nutrition Association volunteers descended on the school garden of Birch Lane Elementary to prepare ground for the planting of fruit trees, to spread mulch, and clear out winter weeds in early preparation for spring planting.
