The "Little Green House" project is the school's main project involving green technology.  The goal of the project, which has spanned the past two academic years (2008-2010), is to involve instructors and students from mutliple program areas in the construction of a house that utilizes green technologies and green construction practices.  The house was built on a trailer, and can be towed to various locations where it serves as a walk-thru educational exhibit.

The Auto Technology program supplied the trailer for the "Little Green House" project, and is currently responsible for ongoing trailer maintenance.

Starting in the summer of 2010, the school is embarking on a second major green project to refurbish a 30-year old green house into a "smart" and "green" greenhouse.  With its steel frame and mechanical systems that control the vents, the project will require the expertise of the Automotive Technology staff and students.

Examples of these competencies would be:

--Identifying, seperating and recycling vehicle components. Aluminum, Batteries, Steel, Plastic, Glass, Rubber, Copper etc.

--Hybrid vehcles- Identifying by color code the low voltage wiring, the intermediate voltage wiring and the high voltage wiring.

--Proper disposal of hazarduos materials and recycling (SP2 Pollution Prevention Training).

--Plug in Electric Vehicles (Oil changes not needed so no waste oil is generated) How does this affect the environment?

Sustainability in the Automotive Technology programs focuses on the proper handling of hazardous materials (oil, anti-freeze, refrigerant), and the recycling of reusable materials (metal, plastic, aluminum, tires).

Some of these practices are covered in the AYES and CDX online curriculums, and an example is attached.

In addition, all students Automotive II and III students are given the S/P2 curriculum and certification at the beginning of the year, which covers the codes and procedures required by OSHA and the EPA.  In the words of the preface to this curriculum, the purpose of S/P2 is "...to provide effective, easy-to-use, affordable training to every employee and student in the industry on Safety and Pollution Prevention, with the aim of reducing injury, illness and environmental impact.  A screenshot of this welcome page is attached.

We recycle batteries, used petroleum products (oils), coolant, air conditioning refrigerant, scrap metals, and tires. Our lab has an oil filter crusher to seperate excess oil from the filter before recycling the filter. We also have equipment for on-site recycling of automotive refrigerant which is then re-used by the students during A/C repairs. Unusable donated vehicles get disassebled by students, fluids removed, and parts are recycled. We also have a parts washer that recycles the dirty fluid for re-use by seperating out the impurities so we do not create hazardous waste.