Cary Academy teacher Heidi Maloy spends a lot of time thinking about sustainability, recycling and preserving the earth's resources. She has searched for ways to make the school more eco-friendly and has carried her knowledge home, where she has made multiple home improvements in the name of going 'green'.

Maloy teaches chemistry to tenth graders and advanced environmental science to juniors and seniors. She also co-chairs CA Green, the school's environmental group, with fellow teacher Kris Wetterling.

Thanks to a nomination from Wetterling, Maloy was chosen as one of three Green Educators of the Year. The honor is part of the Save It Forward Awards handed down each year by the N.C. Triangle chapter of the U.S. Green Building Council. The awards ceremony is Thursday.

Q: What was the Building Council looking for when it selected you as a Green Educator of the Year? They wanted to see that you were making an impact in your community, in all sectors of the community: parents, students, faculty, staff. I think my work with CA Green was the reason.

Q: What are some of the things CA Green has done that have made an impact? We do a lot of projects. Last year, during the first trimester, we launched a coordinated recycling program, including all classrooms and hallways in the school. The middle school was already very organized, but the rest of us had a long way to go.

The second trimester, we participated in the Green Cup Challenge with other private schools in North Carolina. The goal for the challenge is to reduce the electricity we use during the month of February. We worked on many little things like students walking through the school asking teachers to turn off the lights when they weren't in the classrooms or teachers cutting down on printing.

Because of the technology available here, we are able to go almost paperless. We also held a Carpool Day to reduce fuel usage. Overall, we decreased our electricity use by over 4 percent.

Q: What other projects do you work on with the Green Team? We organize the year into three themes. The first trimester is food. We try to educate the community about local produce and CSAs [Community Supported Agriculture] and highlight organic produce in the dining hall. We talk about why organic, local produce tastes better and the energy costs associated with raising animals for meat.

The second trimester, our theme is home. We talk about cutting down on energy costs and reducing the number of toxins in the home.

For the last trimester, we talk about Green IQ. When you think you're being green, are you really? We may think we're being green but might not be. Here at Cary Academy, we use green cleaning products and low- to no-VOC paints.

Q: It's notable that you are able to make an impact on which cleaning products or paint the school uses. We have remarkable leadership. In the past, when I asked to attend a Leadership and Sustainability conference, I was given permission to attend.

It was a great experience, and several other teachers went the next time it was offered.

Q: How have your activities at school impacted your green efforts at home? With the advanced environmental science class, the focus is on sustainability. I have learned a tremendous amount that I've put to use in my own home.

My education is in ecology, and I have always been interested in preserving natural areas and biodiversity. In the class, I've learned more about energy and energy efficiency.

My students must complete five "supplementals" of their choosing. They can visit consignment stores and Goodwill and look into repurposing other peoples' clothing, ask their parents to test-drive a Prius or Smart Car , join organizations like the Sierra Club or go to Duke, UNC or State to hear speakers talk about sustainability issues. The supplementals are my most fun thing to grade.

Q: What do you hope your students will walk away with as they head into their adult years? I tell them that the choices they make really impact not only their lives but their children's lives. I know it's hard for them to imagine now, but in only a few years they will have jobs, possibly houses or a spouse and eventually, maybe, children.

We discuss what they need to look for when they buy a house or a car and what to look for in a manufacturer of products or appliances.

I want them to think about the little things: when you go to a fast food restaurant, do you need the bag? Can you bring your own cup to Starbucks and have it re-filled?

One of the things I love about the environmental sciences class is that kids can learn concrete things that really impact their lives.