Sustainability

Mission Statement

Pacific Ridge School is committed to stewardship of the environment. Recognizing we are all but one small part of the natural world, we must value, protect, preserve, and replenish natural resources. While our actions are local, our reach is global.

We will foster a culture of environmental awareness, which should be integral to our community in all venues of daily life, on and off campus—where we learn, where we work, where we live, and where we play. As an institution, our priorities, decisions, and actions will be informed by their environmental impact. We should pay particular attention to the use of our land, the construction and renovation of our facilities, our consumption of energy and other resources, and our choices of transportation.

Pacific Ridge will educate our entire community about environmental issues and sound environmental practices. To address that part of the Pacific Ridge’s mission that seeks to graduate young people with a sense of ethical responsibility and a purposeful life, we must be vigilant in our efforts to prepare future generations for stewardship of the environment.

In our school operations, Pacific Ridge will strive to:

Conserve and protect natural resources and support their sustainable use.
Reduce the use of energy, water, and consumable goods.
Purchase materials with the lowest environmental impact possible, including compostable, recyclable and reusable products.
Eliminate or reduce the use of toxic substances and the generation of wastes, and promote strategies to reuse and recycle those wastes that cannot be avoided.
Conduct affairs in ways that safeguard the environmental health and safety of students, faculty, staff, and the widespread and diverse communities our actions affect.
Encourage teaching, research, and service that deepen understanding of the environment.
Conduct teaching, research, and service in an environmentally responsible way.
Provide a forum for the community to discuss and study environmental issues in their relationship to other social issues.

Sustainability in Action

ENERGY

In Fall 2023, Pacific Ridge flipped the switch on a rooftop solar array rated to generate 85% of the campus’ electricity needs. This onsite array will significantly decrease the school’s carbon footprint while also providing clean renewable energy.

To reduce energy consumption, Pacific Ridge has implemented a variety of strategies:

Lighting on campus uses high efficiency bulbs and is controlled by motion and sound sensors.
HVAC units on campus are high efficiency and have set balance points for both heating and cooling.
Larger meeting spaces employ passive cooling systems such as garage doors and windows for ventilation.
Classrooms include windows, light shelves and solar tubes to encourage the use of daylighting.
Campus includes multiple outdoor classroom spaces.
Pacific Ridge periodically holds “Black Out” days to highlight these features and help educate that lighting and HVAC are not always necessary.

WATER

To reduce water consumption, Pacific Ridge has implemented a variety of strategies:

Irrigation uses 100% reclaimed water provided by the Carlsbad Water District.
Landscaping uses mulch and drip systems to reduce irrigation needs.
Campus plumbing fixtures and appliances include low flow faucets, dual flush toilets, waterless urinals and efficient washing machines.

BUILDING DESIGN

All of Pacific Ridge’s permanent buildings are LEED compliant, with the Upper School building (Mullady Hall) receiving LEED Gold certification.

LEED compliant features include:

Use of recycled or renewable building materials when possible.
Inclusion of windows and light shelves in all classrooms to allow for maximum daylighting.
Planting of shade trees on south facing sides of buildings to provide shade.
Automated HVAC systems with set balance points for heating and cooling.
High efficiency lighting fixtures with sound and motion sensors.

WASTE AND RECYCLING

To encourage conscious consumption or resources and to reduce waste generation, Pacific Ridge has implemented a variety of strategies:

Campus waste collection sites have 3-bin sorting systems that include Landfill Waste, Mixed Recycling and Green Waste. E-waste, chemical waste and batteries are also collected for proper disposal.
Students and staff are encouraged to use reusable water bottles
Water bottle filling stations are installed at every drinking fountain in addition to stand-alone dispensers.
Single use plastics are discouraged at on-campus events, with drink dispensers and compostable cups being offered instead.
Reusable plates and utensils are used for both faculty and student lunch services whenever possible, and compostable or recyclable products are offered when reusables are not available.
On campus events follow similar practices, prioritizing the use of either reusable or compostable/recyclable serveware.

ORGANIC GARDEN

The Pacific Ridge campus includes an organic produce garden maintained by the Upper School Urban Agriculture Club. The garden includes an outdoor growing space in multiple raised beds as well as indoor hydroponic and aquaponic growing systems. Harvests from the garden are often shared with the campus community.

Produce grown on campus includes:

Salad greens
Kale, Swiss chard, Broccoli and Cauliflower
Onions and Garlic
Tomatoes
Cucumbers
Summer and Winter Squashes
Beans and Peas
Root crops: Radishes, Carrots, Beets, Potatoes
Herbs: Basil, Oregano, Rosemary, Sage, Thyme, Dill
Pollinator plants: Lavender, Milkweed, Asters, Pansies

Pacific Ridge was named a 2024 US Department of Education Green Ribbon School and a 2024 CA Green Ribbon School-Green Achiever

Sustainability in the Classroom

A growing number of Pacific Ridge courses address sustainability issues.

Some of these classes are:

Science 6-Science 10
AP and Honors Environmental Science
AP Biology
Honors Physics
Marine Biology
Economics
Statistics
Ancient and Modern World History
World Languages (all levels)
STEAM Electives: Nanotechnology, Surfboard Fabrication, Sustainable Fashion, Introduction to Architecture

In addition to the focus on sustainability in the classroom, several service learning groups and global travel experiences incorporate the concept of sustainability, whether it be environmental, economic or social.

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