This year, CHS is going green with the installation of solar panels in the senior parking lot. As an update from last year’s discussion about the proposal of the solar plan, the project will begin this month and end in April of 2017. The installation of the solar panels was a decision that was made and voted for by the CUSD school board. The project will take place on many campuses besides CHS, such as El Roble Intermediate and Condit, Mountain View, Chaparral, and Oakmont.  The primary reason behind this new eco-friendly addition to CUSD campuses is in its low environmental impact and long term financial return.

However for CHS, its arrival comes with several drawbacks as well. Construction of the solar panels will mean temporarily closing off the senior parking lot. The back entrance to the school will be inaccessible for seven months, which will disrupt the flow of traffic and make picking-up and dropping-off students nearly impossible. According to CHS principal Brett O’Connor, the panels will result in 23,000 tons of reduced CO2 emissions and will save the district over $6 million in energy costs over the span of the next 25 years, which is the duration of the contract between CUSD and Partners For Many Generations (PFMG) Solar. The district did not have to fund the project since PFMG Solar will be covering all budgets needed for the installation, including costs for the materials. The panels will be installed in a parking canopy style, which will provide shade for cars parked under them in the future.

Although the construction of solar panels is a big step for CUSD towards becoming a more environmentally-friendly district, problems concerning traffic and parking spaces have made matters difficult. Due to the main parking lot being fenced off for construction, a temporary parking lot has been established in the basketball courts west of the small gym, where newly painted parking lines have been drawn. Feelings of frustration are common among some high school students as they are now faced with the hectic atmosphere of honking cars and traffic jams in the mornings and afternoons around the south drive as their peers attempt to maneuver their way in and through the courts. The areas around Taylor Hall and Indian Hill are packed due to denser traffic as students seek a free parking space and parents seek a way to drop off their kids in time for the bell. Parking spaces are limited, so many students must settle for parking spaces that are farther away from school, which means extra walking distance in order to get to classes.

Despite the difficulties that come with the seven month-long project, some students face the situation with an optimistic attitude.

“I’m a little upset, because that means it’ll be harder to park, but I think the solar panels will be worth it,” senior Carly Sanden said. “It’s a clean energy source and it also provides shade for the cars, which is really nice.”

Some CHS seniors are discontent with the fact that their personally-painted parking spots will no longer be of use until next year. However, in a recent email sent out to parents notifying them of the changes in the parking lots, it was promised that the painted parking spots would be refunded for those who have purchased it. On the other hand, parking permits will not be refunded. When asked about their opinions regarding the project overall, some students agree that the installation of solar panels was an excellent project, but with incredibly bad timing.

“I’m so glad our school decided to get them. I just wish that they could have been installed during the summer,” senior Aubrey Christiansen said. “I’m just bummed to know that I went through all the trouble to get a senior spot and spend time, money, and effort on creating my spot to now not be able to use it. I just hope that we can all agree on a way to make the parking lot as less chaotic as we can.”

O’Connor anticipates that this project will have good consequences both environmentally and morally as he confidently addresses the disorder that is expected to follow the construction.

“Of course, nobody likes when construction occurs in their living area, so on that part, CHS needs to communicate regularly with the parents and students to minimize disruption,” Dr. O’Connor said.

Despite the school’s wide feelings of disapproval concerning the arduous task of parking, picking kids up and dropping them off, and dense traffic, the incorporation of solar panels onto CUSD campuses is no doubt an impactful contribution to the greater good of the environment. Hopefully, this movement will encourage other districts to adopt this great new source of energy efficiency so that society may become a healthier and happier place.