The Full Terracycle

The student Environmental Cabinet got to see the full circle results of their recycling efforts. 

The students and PTA Green Committee work all year to collect chip bags and juice pouches in the cafeteria and send them to Terracycle for recycling and upcycling (making them into new products).


With the cash prize money won last fall in the Connect the Dots for Green Schools challenge, they purchased finished product items made from the juice pouches and chip bags. 

Each cabinet member chose an item to keep and take back to their classes to help promote the recycling project.  The remaining items were donated to the school to use for teacher gifts or to sell in the school store.

Terracycle uses the recyclabes to make school supplies like pencil pouches and folders, and also all kinds of unique gifts and home products.

These items can be purchased at www.terracycle.com.  Buying the finished product items will help ensure that they will keep offering their wonderful special recycling programs!

CHES and Project:Homes Team Up for Energy Savings

project:HOMES is now offering a Home Energy Check-Up, as part of Dominion Virginia Power’s energy efficiency program. 

The Home Energy Check-Up gives single family residents an overview of their home’s energy performance, as well as some on-the-spot installment measures, like compact fluorescent light bulbs, smart power strips, and hot water pipe insulation.

project:HOMES charges $25 for the entire Check-Up, including the installments. For every resident of a single family home who orders a Check-Up and mentions CHES, project:HOMES will give $15 back to the school.

The more homes that participate, the greater the gain: both in funds for the organization and in energy savings.

Call Susan Hill at (804) 612-3350 or email her at rreaoutreach@gmail.com to schedule your Check-Up, and don't forget to mention CHES! 

Your Home Energy Check-Up will be performed by the Richmond Region Energy Alliance (RREA), a wholly owned subsidiary of project:HOMES. RREA is a community service nonprofit that helps homeowners make their homes healthier, more comfortable, and more efficient. www.rrea-va.org/get-started  

We have some exciting news to report about our CHES courtyards!

The Greater Virginia Green Building Council recently awarded Clover Hill Elementary a Curriculum Award in their “Connect the Dots for Green Schools Challenge” for our renovation efforts in the courtyards!

Also, James River Grounds Management has taken on the large courtyard as a community service project; they sent in a work crew on November 18th and will return in the spring to complete the project. They put down new weed control fabric, new gravel, and new sand in our Chesapeake Bayscape; they also fixed the deck, pruned the crepe myrtle, removed some dead plants, and added some bench seating. Students from the Environmental Committee helped place shells and driftwood to our bayscape; they will also help with some planting in the spring.

Thank you to GVGBC and James River Grounds Management!!!