A Press Release from Radnor High School’s Action Earth Club:

Friday, August 28, 2020

Contact: Ali Bauer, [email protected], and Becca Zajac, [email protected]

Radnor school board unanimously passes resolution for 100% clean energy and electric buses after months of student campaigning.

The resolution establishes the district’s intent to transition to 100% clean electricity by 2030 and

ends the use of fossil fuels for heating, cooking, and transportation by 2040.

Radnor Township, PA — On Tuesday evening, the Radnor Township School Board

unanimously passed a resolution establishing a goal seeking to establish 100 percent clean,

renewable electricity by 2030, and to electrify all other energy needs – heating, cooking, cooling,

and transportation – by 2040.

Students from Radnor High School, in collaboration with Sierra Club’s Climate Parents program,

presented a petition to the board with more than 100 signatures of district students, parents, and

staff asking the school board to support the resolution. The petition listed the benefits of this

commitment, including saving money on energy bills, improving indoor and outdoor air quality,

creating STEM learning opportunities, and strengthening community resilience. The school

district’s commitment will also help achieve the 100 percent clean energy goals set by Radnor

Township in 2019.

Parents, students, teachers, and community members tuned into the virtual school board

meeting on Tuesday through YouTube Live, and several students demonstrated broad support

for the resolution by submitting public comments. Radnor has become the first school district in

Pennsylvania to pass a resolution with the goal of transitioning to 100 percent clean, renewable

energy and a zero emission school bus fleet. School districts in Los Angeles, Madison, WI, Salt

Lake City, Old Lyme, CT and several districts in Minnesota have also made 100 percent clean

energy commitments within the last year.

In response, student leader Ali Bauer issued the following statement:

“I find it so important for schools to lead on climate action, especially with young people being

disproportionately harmed by fossil fuel pollution. With that, I was thrilled to see our school

board pass this resolution at such an influential time. This resolution will pave the way for our

classrooms and school buses to run on clean power, and for our heating, ventilation, and air

conditioning systems to be cleaner and energy efficient. This transition will ultimately improve air

quality and help prevent the spread of airborne toxins, including COVID-19. Above all, I am

grateful that Radnor’s school board values the voices of their students and other community

members, even amid a global pandemic. I feel so lucky to be a part of such a pivotal transition,

and I can’t wait to see Radnor achieve 100% clean energy in the next two decades!”

Student leader Becca Zajac issued the following statement:

“Being a student leader for this initiative has been a very special experience; it’s given me a

chance to connect with my community and involve Radnor in a national and global shift towards

sustainability. I am extremely grateful that our school board recognizes the urgency of fighting

the climate crisis, especially through these challenging times. By reducing our greenhouse

emissions and adopting the goal of 100% clean energy and transportation, Radnor School

District is leading by example. I have never been more proud. Climate Students from every

grade are honored to have a longstanding impact on where we’ve grown up. I look forward to

continuing this journey in the implementation stage and collaborating with district leaders to

create a better school community for all future Radnor students.”

Mary Lunetta from Sierra Club’s Climate Parents campaign issued the following:

“The students demonstrated impressive leadership on a campaign they worked long and hard

on. They refused to be deterred by pandemic-related school closures or social-distancing

challenges, like digital engagement with district leaders and board meetings. They have been

very committed to securing a healthy learning environment, free of dirty fossil fuels and

greenhouse gas pollution, for all Radnor students – even during unprecedented challenges.

Their perseverance is building a broader movement for bold climate action, inspiring students

and families across the nation to mobilize for 100% clean energy in their local school districts.”

Radnor Township school board member Sarah Dunn issued the following:

“With all that is happening in our world, I truly commend our students’ continued and unwavering

dedication to shaping an environmentally conscious future. As a School Board and district, we

were moved to support this cause due the students’ well-reasoned and researched advocacy

work. We seek to empower our students to make a positive ‘real world’ impact through

classroom learning as well as by supporting their passions outside our schools whenever

possible.”

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About Sierra Club’s Climate Parents Program

Sierra Club’s Climate Parents program is a diverse national movement of parents, students, and

families mobilizing for clean energy and climate solutions. We work to influence public policy

makers and energy providers to take bold steps to protect youth and communities from the

health and climate impacts of burning fossil fuels—and to move toward a 100% clean energy

future for all. For more information, visit www.climateparents.org.