On Feb. 26, ETHS made history by becoming the third public school district in the nation to adopt a progressive sustainability policy, dubbed the ETHS Green New Deal. Board members unanimously passed the proposed policy calls for the development and creation of an official sustainability plan by this May. The fact that ETHS is one of Evanston’s largest employers, and is home to some of Evanston’s most expansive facilities means that the deal can contribute to the city-wide Climate Action and Resilience Plan (CARP).

The push to pass the Green New Deal had been in the works for years. In 2019, Evanston became a hub of the Sunrise Movement, a national organization that advocates for political action to fight climate change. Since then, the chapter has attempted to fulfill its mission by holding regular meetings and even organizing walkouts, of which there were four.

To celebrate the move, E-Town Sunrise held a post-vote event on the ETHS Terrace, inviting any and all interested students and community members.

The Green New Deal plan outlined several goals that the district must work towards in the future, with the specific details on how to achieve those goals yet to be determined.

“It’s really exciting to see that ETHS is taking climate change seriously and working towards a sustainable future,” said Libby Greer, a senior who is a member of the organization. 

The policy commits to eliminating 100 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, sourcing 25 percent of cafeteria food locally, making 50 percent of meals from scratch and offering plant-based options for half of all meal choices by 2030, among other things.