Don Knaack and Burr and Burton Academy Win 2007 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence

Burr and Burton Academy’s Help Our Planet Service Learning project, implemented last year under the direction of Vermont musician and activist Don Knaack, has been selected to receive the 2007 Governor’s Award for Environmental Excellence & Pollution Prevention in the Environmental Excellence in Education & Outreach category.

Burr and Burton Academy students are in their second year of the Help Our Planet (HOP) Program. The HOP program is the work of Vermont musician Donald Knaack, who supervised the inauguration of his program at the school in 2006. After a year of planning, the students worked to implement the pledges they made to improve the environment

This year the students were able to begin several key initiatives, including the establishment of a full composting program in the cafeteria that will yield a savings in hauling fees of approximately $1994 per year, and the use of biodegradable plates, cups, wrappers and cutlery in the cafeteria.

Students have also been asked to save about 460 gallons of water, through simple steps such as spending less time in the shower and turning off the water when not needed.
More recycling bins were placed throughout the school and grounds to help students recycle easily. “We are very grateful to Don for bringing his program to Burr and Burton students,” said Headmaster Chuck Scranton. “Everyone has enthusiastically embraced these initiatives and we have seen significant results.”

HOP founder Donald Knaack, a Manchester-based composer and percussionist, who does music residencies in schools said he noticed many years ago there was no program to teach the basics of better environmental citizenry to students anywhere in the country. He began developing the HOP Program seven years ago and decided to bring the pilot program to Burr and Burton. The program was supported in part by the Association of Vermont Recyclers, the Vermont Agency of Natural Resources, USDA, and Casella Waste Management.