The Nichols School is dedicated as a school to lead in the areas of environmental responsibility, education, and sustainability.  The campus environmental efforts are organized through their Big Green Initiative, which is a group of administrators, staff, faculty, and students that work together to promote the goal of a green focused campus. 

 Recycling is the process that prevents waste and reduces the consumption of limited fresh raw materials.  Nichols is very active in the recycling process with an integrated approach. We have separate bins for garbage and recycling in each classroom.  Larger recycling bins include paper only and glass, metal, and plastic together. These bins are situated on every building floor throughout our campus.  The bins are emptied by our custodial staff and collected by a local recycling company.

Our school is taking an initiative in the increasingly important understanding and utilization of composting. At Nichols we use red worms in our composting efforts.  By composting we reduce the amount of green waste being sent to landfills.  What is even more impressive is that our school is actively composting in an urban setting, where this is not as much space.  Scraps of vegetables, fruit, and coffee grinds are collected and mixed with leaves.  This is used in our campus garden and prepared into a compost tea for fertilizing.  We are also putting important nutrients back into the soil which will help in the growth of healthier and more abundant plants throughout our campus.  We are looking to utilize every aspect of composting and that is why our school is a leader in this green initiative.

We are updating existing older buildings on campus to be more energy efficient.  The new, energy-efficient windows installed in the Albright and Mitchel buildings of Nichols School conserve money and resources. They have the ability to keep heat in and cold out. Unlike ordinary windows, in which air leakage siphons heating and cooling energy to the outdoors, these windows have durable weather stripping. These large windows are extensive throughout the campus and maximize natural heating which eliminates the need to rely on more expensive means.  We have also updated the heating systems of these two older buildings to a more efficient and comfortable system.

One of the most exciting projects on our campus is the construction of our new Math, Science, and Technology green building, Center 63, which opened January 2010.  Center 63 makes use of passive solar heating and solar lighting.  The building is designed to maximize daylight.  Wooden panels act as year round controls of day lighting and solar benefits.  Two other features that make the new building environmentally friendly are the eco-pond/rain garden and the green roof.  The eco-pond/rain garden’s main goal is to help our school not add water to the city sewer system.  The pond and garden collect runoff and provide habitat for local birds and insects.  The green roof also aids in reducing storm water runoff.  Another benefit of the roof is the insulation of the building.  The roof also provides a habitat for birds and insects. 

Nichols has pledged to reduce our campus carbon footprint and continues to develop our green curriculum through all grades.  The Green Key Curriculum will allow for students to gain environmental consciousness and responsibility by incorporation what they’ve learned into their everyday lives.  An important section of our core competencies is Environmental Engagement: Sustainability and Stewardship which states: Environmental awareness is not enough; we want students to look at all the ways humans and the environment interacts and actually changes their behaviors so that their interactions are future-looking and responsible. In becoming active stewards of the environment, we want them to influence and change the institutions that surround them, as well. This will result in a true environmental engagement reflected in sustainability and stewardship.