RE Log Spring 2022

34 Ransom Everglades LOG SPRING 2022 After student push, solar panels installed on gymnasium roof On Campus W ork began on the installation of solar panels on the Ransom Everglades upper school gym rooftop on January 3, 2022. A dream of ours that began three years earlier was in motion. We are excited to tell you about this important project that will reduce the school’s carbon footprint and save money. We were first exposed to solar when three years ago our parents began looking into solar options on our homes. We learned that the energy produced by 40-50 solar panels saves a tree every day and matches the production of 30 100- watt bulbs. And, after seven years, the system would be paid for by electricity cost savings. With this knowledge on solar benefits and a drive to help save our planet we were motivated to make Ransom Everglades go solar. We were excited because we knew the positive potential this idea had for both our school and the environment. Before taking our ideas to the school, we started researching. We reached out to Dr. Kelly Jackson – she is now RE’s Director of Environmental Sustainability – who had overseen the installation of a sample array at the middle school to use for education purposes. She was an immediate advocate for our effort. Dr. Jackson relayed that it would take funds and the support of the school’s administration to make our vision a reality. So, we started building a case. We met with a representative at Solar United Neighbors of Florida, a non-profit that holds a plethora of vital information on solar. We learned about how solar worked and what it took to implement. We collected roof diagrams and rough estimate costs. We also learned about the impact solar schools can make. At that point, two years ago, there were 5,489 solar schools in the United States that produced 1.4 million megawatt hours annually, enough to offset about 1 million metric tons of carbon dioxide annually. That is equivalent to taking 221,000 cars off the road or planting 27 million trees! And that was only five percent of the schools; imagine the impact if every school went solar. Armed with that knowledge, we were sure we wanted Ransom Everglades to contribute to this effort. With more research and planning, we were ready to spread our plan and message. We put together a presentation and shared it with Head of School Penny Townsend. She gave us the go-ahead to present to the Ransom Everglades Board of Trustees and seek approval. It was an exciting challenge to present to the board, but we were ready and believed in what we had to say. Then the board approved our effort. We were thrilled and relieved! However, we soon found the work had only begun. Student Power By Madison Munroe ’22, Wirth Munroe ’22, Daniel Stancioff ’23 and Julian Stancioff ’22 , Students for Solar