Taking Local Climate Action – SAU 70’s Climate Action Plan 2025
On Thursday, May 22, the Montshire Museum of Science and Hanover High School (HHS) Environmental Club co-hosted a “Taking Local Climate Action” event where student leaders of the Environmental Club presented their district-wide Climate Action Plan (CAP) recently adopted by SAU 70. In addition, students from Marion Cross Elementary School described steps they have been taking to reduce Greenhouse Gas emissions (GHG). They also treated attendees to a dinner of locally sourced soup and salad that they had prepared and served!
According to Jeanne Kornfeld, science teacher and advisor to the Environmental Club, the SAU Climate Action Plan (CAP) culminates work that began during the 2017 – 2018 school year when students in Earth Systems classes began writing the first CAP for a high school in the United States. Subsequent students in these classes and the Environmental Club continued to update HHS’s CAP and worked toward implementing some of its GHG reduction measures.
Knowing that several schools in the SAU were already working to reduce their GHG emissions, Superintendent Jay Badams asked the HHS Environmental Club to expand their efforts and create a CAP for the entire SAU. Development of this CAP began in the summer of 2021 and was completed in Jan 2025. Students collected and summarized baseline data of carbon emissions, projected emissions if the SAU continued its business as usual, and established reduction targets consistent with New Hampshire state goals. The goals of the SAU 70’s CAP are to reduce GHG emissions by 16% by 2030 and a further 75% by 2050.
HHS students showed results from having measured emissions for the SAU by sector and identified its three largest emitters -- buildings as well as employee and student commuting. To the best of their knowledge, Hanover High School and SAU 70 have the only CAPs written by students. They readily admitted it would not have been possible without the pro bono expertise provided by Hannah Kornfeld, a 2010 HHS alumna who leads the climate action planning practice for an environmental consulting firm.
To top off the evening, Marion Cross students explained how they are tackling emissions by focusing comprehensively on their food system: sourcing better and local food, including growing and cooking some of their own; reducing food waste; replacing cardboard with metal, reusable trays; and composting. Students then joined attendees at their tables to discuss how the community can assist the SAU in reaching its goals, hurdles residents have encountered while working on their own climate actions, and how best to work together.
SAU 70’s Climate Action Plan 2025 (sau70.org/our-districts/sustainability) is a vivid example of how leadership, hard work, and change come not only from school boards, administrators, teachers, and staff but also from students of all ages, including our youngest! Bravo!
by Judi Colla & Gail Gentes, Sustainable Hanover
