I got to live in the Bahamas for 3 months! However... it wasn't exactly like a resort. The weather was great, the food was delicious, and the place I lived at wasn't half bad either. However, having all of this at the Island School wasn't easy, as they are big on the practice of sustainable living.
The campus was set up with multiple ways to collect and conserve resources. One of the best examples was the Hallig House. The Hallig House had several sustainable features, including ground made out of recycled tires, jean insulation, rooftop gardens, solar panels, and a toilet that has a sink attached to it. The last one may seem a little weird, but it's a way to conserve water. Once someone uses the toilet, the water is considered dark water. You flush the toilet, the sink starts with clean water, and you can wash your hands. The water you washed your hands with is considered gray water and fills the toilet bowl again.
There are solar panels set up around campus and a windmill. The Island School also has an aquaponics system. How it works is that there are rows of greens growing in water beds and a little coconut soil. The water has bacteria produced from a separate tank of tilapia. This bacteria is good for the the plants.
The lifestyle portion was all about rationing what I had. For example, I had to learn about taking a military-style shower. For those of you who don't know, this means wetting your hair, turning off the shower and shampooing, and turning the water on again to quickly rinse. All of this is done with the goal of using no more than a minute of water. Another example would be obeying the portion sizes rules to make sure everyone took what they needed and that there was enough for everyone else.
These are just some of the biggest ways that the Island School is green. The school is still striving for new ways to be sustainable. I've learned a lot about ways to be environmentally conscious and hope that this effort can continue t spread.
That's all I have to say!
x Emma
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