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This section, why
bamboo, was
contributed by John
Hardy, one of the
schools
co-founders.
Why is Green School
where it is?
Green School is located in Sibang Kaja, a village that has been
largely passed over by Bali's tourist development. In developing a "green"
school, we wanted the ability to work directly from and with the land -
tourist-fuelled development would stand in the way of this relationship.
Moreover, the relative scarcity of tourists allows for a fresh conversation
between our school community and the local villagers, enabling a more conscious
interaction. We are also lucky to have great support from the village leader,
A.A. Watusila. Finally, the site is more or less equidistant between Ubud,
Sanur, Denpasar, Canggu and Seminyak, all major Balinese urban centres.
Why is everything made out of bamboo?
Green School chose bamboo in the spirit of plenty. With rapidly
escalating world cement prices, not to mention the sheer amount of fossil fuel
that cement consumes, we must look to alternative building materials. Frankly,
it is hard to talk to students about sustainability while they are using the
last piece of rainforest for their chair and their table. It is the painful
truth that they are going to have to stretch to get enough rain forest timber to
build their homes.
Bamboo is available and plenty, and when it is
treated with borax salt, it is rendered immune to the bugs that like to eat it,
so it becomes a permanent material. Every student at Green School will have an
opportunity to plant his or her own bamboo and, eventually, four to five years
down the line, will have a chance to harvest, treat and build something with
that bamboo.
If you need a lot of timber in the future, don't look for
wood, look for bamboo. It fixes a huge amount of carbon in the soil and this is
a good solution in the world of ever escalating problems. It is a rapid solution
to some of the problems that are facing us. Plant bamboo.
Why not build out of concrete?
Cement/concrete uses about 1/3 of the world's oil, between
digging it out of the ground, heating it, moving it, and destroying it when it's
no longer appropriate. This uses a huge amount of the world's fossil fuel and
creates huge amounts of carbon for the world.
Green School does use some cement, but the cement is primarily
underground. A small percentage of the classroom floors is made from cement, but
in general we want Green School to be really green - which means less cement.
Representing cement as modern or high class or the future is really not very
green. Cement has a very limited place and we need to keep it in its place.
Why are the fences made out of sticks?
The fences are an old Balinese system called "tiang hidup" which
means living post. The Balinese discovered long, long ago that if they post a
stick, the termites will eat it - unless the post is living, in which case it's
immune from termites. Moreover, the leaves that grow on the post are brought to
the cows and goats, providing food with much-needed nutrients for these animals.
The post also fixes nitrogen in the soil, which helps the garden flourish.
Why are the blackboards made from bamboo?
Our blackboards are made from bamboo slats, sanded down
beautifully, coated in black propane and set in a bamboo frame. This stands in
contrast to the "standard" classroom blackboard, generally made from large
pieces of slate framed in rainforest plywood - not a very "green" material.
Moreover, to acquire those kinds of pieces of slate would require transport
across huge distances, forcing a large ecological footprint. When we looked at
having a "green" school, we needed to have a "green" blackboard, so we committed
ourselves to using local materials - including, of course, bamboo, the life
source of the School. One little circle on each blackboard is left unpainted,
reminding everyone who uses the board that this is a board unlike others: a
truly "green" blackboard.
Why are the paths made of stones?
 The walking paths at Green School are made from sandstone blocks
carved out of the local river valley and gravel developed from encrusted stone.
The advantage of such paths is twofold: first, these natural elements have much
less impact on the planet than cement or asphalt road. And second, it lets Green
School operate on a principle of adaptability: as people decide to walk when
they feel most comfortable, we can easily move rocks and put them where people
walk. Thus, the garden can easily become a path and the path can easily become a
garden.
How long does a bamboo classroom last?
The classrooms are made from bamboo because it is a sustainable
material - as long as it is sheltered from the elements, bamboo lasts forever.
The classrooms will last as long as the grass roof is maintained.
My classroom does not have any walls, what's going to happen
when it rains?
The
classrooms don't
have walls because
it is important in a
tropical place like
Bali to catch every
breeze that comes
through - the
breeze, combined
with fans, is our
air conditioning
system. Our
classrooms are
designed to be like
ships sailing across
the earth, equipped
with a "rig" and
sails to keep the
rain out and the
wind in. This
creates a further
connection between
students and the
earth.
Is it dangerous having coconut trees on the campus?
When building Green School, we wanted to preserve the local
terrain as much as possible - including the coconut trees. If you look closely
at the coconuts hanging from Green School trees, you will see that they are in
netted bags. This means that the tree can experience its natural cycle of
producing coconuts - valuable in the world as a source of both coconut oil and
nutrients - while the people below are protected from any mishaps from falling
coconut or branches. This is a solution that preserves the environment,
maintains safety in the classroom, and also helps in the kitchen.
The bathroom is made out of earth, isn't that dirty?
Mud was chosen for the walls of the bathroom because it is a
local and easily workable material. Although it does create a little dust, its
impact on the world is very, very small. Tile, concrete and bricks all take a
huge amount of energy to produce.
Why are the gardens full of food?
It is the intention of Green School to grow food wherever we
can. Each class has a garden and each child has a patch in that garden. We
want every child to experience the magic of picking freshly ripened fruits and
vegetables that they have planted and to enjoy eating them. Every child at Green
School has the opportunity to plant and harvest rice, giving them a chance to
understand the incredible natural cycle that sustains us all.
The other day I saw a baby goat. Why are there animals at
Green School?
Green School not only has goats, it also has buffalo, cows,
rabbits, shrimp, fish and many, many other animals. To make the School's lands
sustainable and to feed the hundreds of people at Green School, it's important
to have animals. Animals are an important part of the Green School life cycle.
Animals provide the link between us and the earth by working the land and
providing soil for our gardens.
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