The 2000s, 2010s, 2020s: Climate Change

Hewitt has always been dedicated to climate change and teaching its community about the importance of sustainable living. In October 2007, Hewitt became a charter member of the Green Schools Alliance. Hewitt also changed its facilities to become more sustainable. Buildings switched to lower wattage light bulbs and added reflectors to each fixture, giving more light with less power. In addition to the light, Hewitt generates a portion of its energy from wind, an important renewable energy source. As a part of the Energy Curtailment Specialists, Inc. program, Hewitt reduced its energy significantly by turning off lights and using natural light for one hour or more. Recycling has also been implemented with students starting in lower school being taught to recycle their milk and juice cartons. 

In 2009, Hewitt Happenings wrote about the new composting initiative for the middle school. After preparing the soil in the spring, students came back to find the compost feeding the herbs in the rooftop garden. The Green Team, a middle school student organization, collaborated with the kitchen staff in order to season the food with the herbs that were grown in the garden. The upper school’s Earth Club joined the Green Team to take steps to further a “green” agenda by attending the Green Schools Alliance, a meeting held at the Dalton School on November 17, 2008. The Earth Club looked into becoming a member of the Black Rock Forest Consortium, a field station for scientific research, education and conservation located north of New York City. In the 2009 Hewitt Happenings article, Head of Middle School Justine Hoffman explained, "In our girls you find a genuine passion and enthusiasm for Hewitt going green. They are inspired by this initiative and are constantly thinking of new ways to raise awareness." The school's efforts were well received: Hewitt was ranked thirteenth of the EPA’s top K-12 schools in 2009 after purchasing green power. ​

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