By Gabriella Bancheri
Michael Capizola, a young science teacher at the Ventnor Educational Community Complex on Lafayette Ave., has given some new momentum to the school’s Green Team, a small group of teachers creating a fun, fresh meaning to low- and no-waste sustainability efforts.
The team started by purchasing reusable water bottles for each of the students, from first through eighth grade. The students who managed to bring in their water bottle every day of the marking period would receive an incentive for their efforts.
321 students managed to bring in their reusable water bottles every day during marking period three. The team calculated how many plastic water bottles that would have been if each of those students brought in a plastic water bottle every day — totaling a whopping 13,803.
If you lined up 13,803 water bottles, that would come out to approximately a mile and three-quarters, or about thirty football fields.
The reusable water bottle initiative is only one of many. The team has also been dedicated to collecting and reusing single-sided paper throughout the school, recycling printer ink cartridges, and participating in monthly beach cleanups. They even go so far as to collect recyclable markers.
For these smaller efforts, the team makes sure to count every ounce of paper, every cartridge, and every marker, because when it’s all added up, the difference is astounding.
In a few short months, the team was able to collect 8 pounds of recyclable markers, 105.25 pounds of single-sided paper for reuse, and 57 pounds worth of ink cartridges that would have otherwise ended up in a landfill.
As for the beach cleanups, the team and its students managed to collect nearly 900 pounds of litter this year.
At the end of the marking period, the kids take guesses on how many items were saved, and how much of a collective impact they managed to make. The winner, of course, gets some kind of prize.
What started with giving out ice cream as an incentive for students who brought in their reusable water bottles turned into beach cleanups and tree planting for extra credit. Getting the kids actively involved with these kinds of activities paints sustainable action in a creative and community-enhancing light, and the students often take their experiences with them even after their hands-on work is done.
Whether it’s an ice cream at the end of the marking period, extra credit, or simply a good time with their classmates outside, the students are certainly awarded for their sustainability efforts.
The Green Team certainly recognizes the importance of the ripple effect when it comes to sustainable practices, and if one thing is clear from their efforts, it’s how truly big a difference the seemingly small things make.
Capizola hopes that the school’s initiatives will inspire his students, their families, and even other schools and organizations outside of Ventnor Middle School. His talent for teaching goes way beyond getting the students involved. Luckily for Ventnor residents, it creates a lasting impact on the community he serves.
Creating a greener planet may start with passionate educators like Capizola, but it continues with the rest of us: those who are inspired by the ripple effect of community efforts that promote lasting change.
So, to the Green Team and to all the participating students at VECC: thank you!
Gabriella is a Ventnor City resident and graduate of the University of London with an MA in Creative Writing and Publishing. Her writing is featured in a variety of digital publications ranging from food and beverage to literature to ecotourism.
