Environmental Stewardship

List of 7 items.

• Garden

  The middle school edible garden program introduces 6th grade students to gardening, sustainable food practices, and environmental stewardship through hands-on learning. Students use raised beds to grow a variety of vegetables, herbs, and fruits suited to our local climate. The garden includes native plants and flowers to attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, supporting biodiversity. Students measure plant growth, track yields, and write about their experiences and what they learned about food systems, environmental impact, and the rewards of growing their own food.

• Healthy Food

  Palmer Trinity's food provider, SAGE Dining Services, creates unique menus for our community. Our menus change seasonally to reflect the fresh products available. They source local food whenever possible. They support the school garden and serve locally grown food. SAGE serves organic products whenever feasible. Their milk is hormone-free and their eggs are cage-free and Certified Humane. SAGE only serves dolphin-safe tuna, packed in water. They support the Monterey Bay Aquarium Seafood Watch guidelines. SAGE serves shade-grown coffee that is fair-trade certified. More information is available on the SAGE Dining Services website.

  
  
  

• Native Plant Butterfly Garden

  Palmer Trinity School teamed up with Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden’s “Native Plant Network,” a citizen science program that enlists South Florida residents to plant native plants in their yards, providing habitat for bees, butterflies and birds. The native plant butterfly garden provides a great wildlife habitat for some of South Florida’s rarest butterflies and moths and serves as an educational tool for our teachers and students. More information is available on the Fairchild Tropical Botanic Garden website.

• Outdoor Classroom

  The outdoor classroom at Palmer Trinity is an immersive learning space that takes advantage of the unique benefits of being outdoors. It is designed to help students develop a strong connection with the natural world and understand how they depend on it. The outdoor classroom overlooks a very unique fossil bed of the burrowing shrimp. This reflects historical evidence from when South Florida was actually a sea bed immersed under water. The exposed rock is fossilized sand sediment from the shrimp as it dug its burrows thousands of years ago.

  
  
  

• Recycling

  The recycling program at Palmer Trinity aims to reduce waste, promote sustainability, and educate students on environmental responsibility. The program centers on three commonly recycled items: cardboard, high grade office paper, and aluminum cans. Designated collection stations labeled for specific materials are placed in  outdoor spaces, classrooms, and common areas. Students coordinate awareness campaigns to remind the school community about recycling practices and their importance.

  
  
  

• Solar Energy

  Two photovoltaic systems (20 kilowatts and 14 kilowatts each) convert the sun’s energy directly into electricity for the school’s concession stand, the main library, and the Kipp field house. Students can view in real time the production of the solar panels online and analyze how production is affected by weather conditions. The photovoltaic system produces significant energy and greenhouse gas emission savings as well as providing an extraordinary learning tool for the community. More information is available on the Kipp Field House energy dashboard. 

  
  
  

• Water Conservation

  Waterless urinals and water efficient faucets are utilized in the majority of restrooms and classrooms on campus. Waterless urinals work completely without water or flush valves. The system is touch-free, improves restroom sanitation, and eliminates odors. A waterless urinal saves on average 20,000 to 45,000 gallons of water a year. Water conservation decreases the burden on municipal water and wastewater treatment.