Green Schools
Waste Hero Education provides free lesson plans to achieve its aim of educating 1 million people by 2030 on zero waste, recycling, and the circular economy. Resources are available to empower children K-12 with the skills and knowledge to care for the planet.
Kids Gardening is part of the National Gardening Association. They provide grants, and free materials for educators and families to inspire gardening as a learning experience. Their mission is to empower generations to live healthier lives, build stronger communities, and encourage environmental stewardship. The Kids Gardening website provides a comprehensive collection of youth gardening content for the environmentally conscious youth and professional.
Green schools are healthier for students and teachers, better for the environment, and cost less to operate and maintain. Here are some resources to help you learn more about what defines a “green” school and how your kids and your school district can benefit.
Recyclebank is a program that helps communities earn points and give rewards that students can use in their classrooms or everyday life.
Greenschools is 501(c) 3 Charitable Organization, whose mission is to create Greener & Healthier learning environments through education and awareness. We make the connections between having healthy bodies and a healthy planet.
The National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities shows recent magazine and journal articles that are relevant to green schools and what they are doing in their communities.
Healthy Green Schools provides information to teachers and administrators about green schools and why they are important.
The GSNN provides all of the news and information about the green schools movement.
The Green Schools Recognition Program encourages cultures of sustainability within school communities. This program recognizes schools for taking a holistic approach to going green that incorporates school ground enhancement, resource conservation, curriculum connections, and community involvement with a school wide commitment and focus on sustainability.
The Green Schools Program empowers students to make a difference in the way their schools use energy. Energy costs are an enormous expense for our nation’s schools, approximately $6 billion each year, and much of the energy that is consumed is wasted. And in many schools, energy costs are second only to personnel costs, exceeding the cost of textbooks and supplies.
The Green Schools Initiative was founded in 2004 by parent-environmentalists who were shocked by how un-environmental their kids’ schools were and mobilized to improve the environmental health and ecological sustainability of schools in the U.S. We believe it is essential to protect children’s health – at school and in the world beyond school – and we work to catalyze and support “green” actions by kids, teachers, parents, and policymakers to:
* Eliminate toxics
* Use resources sustainably
* Create green spaces and buildings
* Serve healthy food, and teach stewardship