Sustainability in Action

Some of the many environmentally responsible practices in place that keep our campus pristine:

Ecological fields:

• Using organic fertilizers like poultry manure, kelp, seaweed extracts, and fish emulsions
• Aerating our athletic fields three to four times per year to combat compaction
• Over-seeding our fields regularly to maintain turf density
• Hand weeding our playing surfaces to keep them safe and consistent for our athletes

Mulching leads back to the soil:

• Reduces waste going to landfills
• Reduces carbon footprint
• Improves soil health
• Reduces fertilizer input

Native Plantings

• Native plants support the local ecosystem
• Planting grasses that require minimal fertilization and water
• More than 8,000 square feet of biodiverse pollinator meadows, including milkweed to make our campus a certified Monarch Butterfly Waystation

Trees

• Apple orchard restoration
• Regular plantings to increase biodiversity, native ecology, and carbon sequestration
• Tree tagging and digital identification platform to monitor tree health and use data in classes

Teaching Gardens

• 30' x 40' organic vegetable garden 
• 20+ raised beds for organic herbs and alliums
• Permaculture food forest as an ecologically regenerative area for nature and people
• Rain garden to filter and decrease stormwater runoff

Turf Technology

When it came time to install our artificial turf, GFA sought the most environmentally responsible option available. Our turf field infill, a combination of sand and extruded cork composite, was selected because it is both environmentally friendly and a healthier option than crumb rubber.

Infrastructure

• Porous asphalt parking lots to recharge groundwater
• Extensive green roof to decrease runoff
• Waste collection including recycling, on-site composting, and TerraCycle 
• LED lighting initiative 
• Solar arrays providing a portion of electrical needs
• Green cleaners