It’s said that change begins with education, something we at Olivette believe with a passion. With that as the primary focus, we were thrilled to have the students from Carolina Day School on site last Thursday to discuss sustainable building and development practices. We were able to go over in depth how Olivette and our building partners are working together to achieve our environmental goals. The students participated in discussions with Blue Ridge Energy Solutions and the principals of Olivette to gain an insight into the importance of thoughtful site planning, water management, energy efficiency and sustainable farming methods. They toured the farm and greenhouse, met with contractors, walked the site as homes were being built and asked every question imaginable.

As Olivette continues to expand, some of our most important goals center on education, including planned schools on site and various classes, farm tours and community garden workshops for students of all ages. Scott Austin, one of the owners and founders of our 350 acre Agrihood, says “Education is at the core of Olivette’s mission, and we are committed to fostering a lifelong enthusiasm for learning for kids young and old.” It was such a treat to put that into practice with the students from Carolina Day School. They really exemplify the younger generation’s engagement with the environment and interest in sustainable living, and we hope they were as inspired by Olivette as we were by their presence and thoughtful inquiries.

If you’re an educator in the area who would like to bring your students to tour Olivette, please reach out via the website or our Facebook page! We’d be happy to discuss sustainable living and show them our huge working farm, or anything else that might fit in with your lesson plans.

Thanks again, Carolina Day School, for allowing us to be part of your education 🙂