GREENWICH—Sacred Heart Greenwich has put the environment first after becoming a certified Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary, only one of three schools in the country with the designation.
The Audubon Cooperative Sanctuary Program “helps organizations and businesses protect our environment while enhancing their bottom line,” according to a fact sheet made by Audubon International, an environmental organization aimed at creating sustainable surroundings.
Audubon International officially certified Sacred Heart Greenwich on Jan. 25, classifying it—along with American University and the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown—as one of the three United States schools to be named a sanctuary.
“This shows our school’s strong commitment to sustainability and stewardship in five different categories: environmental planning, wildlife, water, resources and education,” a statement from the school reads. “These categories are the five key environmental components that the program uses to provide information to assist the participating organization or business.”
The program helps organizations and businesses assess their environmental resources, along with any practices that can cause harm. Then, through the program, the organization or business can develop a plan that fits its “setting, staff, budget and time,” the fact sheet said.
Recertification needs to be done every three years.
Audubon International created the certification process to allow a hands-on process, ensuring that the program is tailored to the establishment’s “unique property,” while also encouraging the participating organizations and businesses to take action on the program’s five key environmental components, the organization said.
“Achieving certification demonstrates an organization’s leadership, commitment, and high standards of environmental management,” according to the fact sheet. “To be designated, personnel develop and implement an environmental management plan and document the results.”
Originally published by Jessica Sims with the Greenwich Time.
