Earth Day: Driftwood Middle School 'Green Team' Immersed In Environmental Wellness

HOLLYWOOD (CBSMiami) – Environmental wellness isn't something students at Driftwood Middle School only focus on for Earth Day. No, the students at this Hollywood school live and study it every single day, especially the "Green Team."

In 2008, teacher Linda Gancitano started the Driftwood Middle School Green Team which connected environmental wellness to the school wide Health and Wellness Magnet program.

One of her super success programs was the 'How Low Can You Go Energy Challenge.' The student-run energy team, better known as the "DMS Chillers," conducts energy audits which raises environmental awareness of the effects on the environment of C02 emissions, and provides education on the potential financial savings through responsible energy consumption.

In addition to saving energy, the nationally recognized and award-winning Green Team also focuses on water consumption, reducing single-use plastic, solar power and they have their own vegetable and butterfly gardens and a fruit forest.

Driftwood Middle has won numerous awards for environmental conservation, including being named a Green Flag EcoSchool by the National Wildlife Federation.