Working for the Environment

By Joaquin J. Rivera

Response to Sierra Club Questions

I believe that providing environmental education to our students is essential. The future of our environment and natural resources will depend on today's youth. We must assist youth in acquiring basic information about the environment + how it functions, how it is affected by human activity, and how harmony between human activity and the natural environment can be achieved. This curriculum can be implemented as part of the social studies and science programs. Currently many of our schools offer some environmental curriculum. Many schools have garden programs including our nationally recognized Edible Schoolyard program, constructed in partnership with the Chez Panisse Foundation, that not only provides a unique hands-on learning experience for our students, but also an awareness of the importance of maintaining a healthy balanced diet. I would like the instruction of these subjects to be uniform throughout the district with all schools offering comprehensive programs. A committee of staff, parents and community members can review existing curriculum programs, already developed by organizations throughout the country, to identify quality programs that are aligned to our state standards and recommend them for adoption. We can use trained facilitators to help our teachers learn how to use these materials and integrate them into their curricula and grade levels.

2. Does the District's current master plan commit BUSD to rapid implementation of full sustainability (maximize transportation alternatives/motorized transportation dependency reduction, energy and water conservation, 75% diversion of wastes from land filling by 2010/Zero Waste Resolution by 2020 [pending], workforce housing (use of pension funds or other creative financing for such BUSD workforce housing)? What concrete steps would you propose be taken (or have you proposed be taken) by the BUSD to realize full sustainability?

I fully support the concept of full sustainability. We must create a culture that integrates the principles of sustainability into what we do everyday. Understanding sustainability requires an awareness of how everything we do, everything we take, everything we make and everything we waste affects nature's balance, and how our actions will ultimately affect our children and all the species in our ecosystem. The district already has many initiatives in place: we sponsor walk to school events; we are in the process of replacing all school busses and other district owned vehicles with low emission vehicles; as mentioned above we have gardens in most schools and have plans to expand the Edible Schoolyard project to other sites; and, we are committed to recycling.

To realize full sustainability, first the District must approve a sustainability policy. Then we must form a team that includes students, patents, staff and community members to develop a sustainability plan for the District. This process must include an analysis of the current sustainability efforts underway in the district, ideas for turning current unsustainable practices into fully sustainable ones and the development of a strategy and implementation plan. The implementation plan must have goals and timetables. The Board must demand that, at least once a year, progress reports be presented at a Board meeting. This will allow the Board and the community to see the progress made, ensure that we are on track and meeting the timelines, understand the obstacles faced and determine what changes must be made to ensure the plan's success.

3. Are you in favor of adopting a Green Building policy, as recommended by the Office of the State Architect, for new construction or reconstruction of District facilities (in light of West Campus plans)?

Yes, I am in favor of adopting a Green Building policy. Green buildings are healthier for the occupants and healthier for the environment. Green building practices can reduce the tremendous impact that building design, construction and maintenance has on both people and nature and provide the framework and tools to build in an efficient, healthy, and ecologically responsible manner. These practices must go beyond energy and water conservation to incorporate environmentally sensitive site planning, resource efficient building materials and superior indoor environmental quality. Some of the key benefits are: lower electric and water utility costs, environmentally effective use of building materials, enhanced health and productivity, long-term economic returns through increased operation and maintenance efficiencies, reduced environmental impact, and minimize local ecological degradation (habitat, air, soil, and water)

4. Do you support BUSD joining the national movement for Sustainable Campuses?

It would be greatly beneficial to our district to join such a progressive movement. I believe that by doing so we can infuse a strong, positive and responsible environmental ethic into all of our activities.

5. The free, successful utilities-sponsored $topwaste program (http://www.stopwaste.org), led by Alameda County Waste Management Authority and Recycling Board with EBMUD and PGandE as partners will audit the District's facilities and recommend money and waste saving actions which the District can take. These are in solid waste, energy saving, and water conservation and have been effective in other large institutions. What is your commitment to resource conservation with assistance from this program and other conservation programs?

I am 100% committed to the implementation of conservation programs. In fact, our district has already committed to district-wide recycling, but we must do more. I welcome an audit that will help us implement plans to save and conserve energy and other natural resources.

6. As a Board member, what will you do (have you done) to improve safety for pedestrians and bicyclists around Berkeley's schools and to increase the number of kids, teachers and staff walking and bicycling to school?

In 1999 I enthusiastically supported a resolution passed the Board that led to the formation of a Traffic Safety Committee to address traffic safety issues around our schools. Working with the city we have made significant progress in this area. I plan to continue building on the good work this committee has done. We must strengthen our traffic safety education campaign. It is essential that we first identify the safety issues at each site, and then educate parents, students, staff and neighbors of desirable traffic patterns around schools, bus and parent loading/unloading areas, delivery areas and parking to ensure the safety of the students, staff and community members. In cooperation with the police department we need to enforce traffic rules to ensure the safety of students, employees and community members. Reduction of traffic is also critical. Use of public transit and car-pooling should be encouraged for those who cannot walk or bike to school.

Because of our school assignment program, it is not practical for many of our elementary school students to walk to school and we provide busing for them. For those who can walk or bike, we must ensure that it is safe to do so by implementing the measures that I mentioned above. In addition, working with the PTA we should organize groups of students at each school that can walk or bike together. The "Walk to School Week" that we sponsor every year can be used to start this project. We should also offer programs to teach bicycle safety and provide secure bicycle parking at the schools.

LAND USE
7. Would you have the District adopt sustainable design and land use practices? What are the environmental implications of school site property decisions and how will your environmental priorities influence such decisions? Do you have committed positions on the use or disposition of several surplus BUSD parcels, notably whether the original Berkeley Adult School (recently Alternative HS) in south-central Berkeley (Milvia, MLK, Carleton, Derby) and the surplus lands of the former West Campus 9-10 BHS/recently Berkeley Adult School (University at Bonar) should be converted into recreational facilities (open or closed street and why) or housing, and if so, what are those positions and why?

I agree that the District must adopt sustainable design and land use practices. The environmental implications of any decision we have to make regarding the future of our facilities must be considered and the adoption of such a policy will provide direction and guidance for how we proceed with all future projects.

We have a responsibility to protect the safety of our employees. It is crucial that we relocate our central administration staff, currently housed in the seismically unsafe Old City Hall and Oregon Street buildings. The most feasible location for this is West Campus. In addition to safety concerns, housing all the administrative functions in one location will improve efficiency and accountability. I support the creation of playing fields at East Campus. We are currently analyzing the potential uses for our other properties. In cooperation with the city of Berkeley and U.C.B. we should consider projects that will provide much needed affordable housing for our employees or that will generate a stream of income for the District. We must work with the neighborhood groups early on in the process to ensure their concerns are addressed before moving forward with our plans on any of these projects.

8. Several years ago, Berkeley High School converted its tennis courts to a parking lot. Would you support reconverting the space back to tennis courts?

Yes. We are currently starting a strategic facilities master plan at the high school that will address the issue of possible uses for the tennis courts.

9. Are you in favor of promoting environmentally sound uses of any "surplus" lands? Do you support keeping these properties in the ownership of the District for continuing income and control (vs. selling to a developer) by leasing as opposed to selling? How would you limit future construction (where there are now parking lots or lawns) in footprint size, and encourage green landscaping replacement? Would you support faculty, staff, student and community participation in choosing land uses and design criteria?

On principle, I do not support the selling of "surplus" property. Once a piece of land is sold, we could never get it back (at least not for the same price!). Where possible, I support providing open spaces at our campuses as we did after the demolition of the B building at BHS. I support to use our open spaces as environmental learning environments for our students. I strongly support the participation of all stakeholders in determining the best uses of these properties so we can better meet the needs of our students and the community at large.

Vision Implementation\Governance

10. Does BUSD have present capacity to realize our goals in these areas of Sustainability and Land Use? What are your plans and what steps would you take to make these goals realizable in full recognition of the educational mandates and financial constraints of BUSD? What will you as a director support to ensure the Board has effective reporting and oversight over the implementation of programs it adopts for these policy areas?

BUSD has a history of creative and progressive education. I strongly believe that we can continue moving forward in this direction while maintaining financial stability and expanding diverse and unique teaching methods for our students. The issue of sustainability is very important as we consider the future of our remaining properties. In this process we must ensure that the needs of the present are met without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs. The District must involve the whole community in the development of a long-range facilities master plan. An oversight committee (such as the Citizens Construction Advisory Committee) should monitor the implementation of this plan. To further ensure accountability, the Board must demand frequent reports to closely monitor this implementation process.