Assessing Effective Sustainability Practices

in K-12 SchoolsU.S. Department of Education’s

Green Ribbon Schools

Kirsten RumseyClean Air-Cool Planet

2013 Climate Fellow 1

How the Recognition Award works Interesting findings from the report Obstacles Incentives Awareness Improvements

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Outline

Pillar One: Reduced Environmental Impact and Costs

Pillar Two: Improved Health and Wellness

Pillar Three: Effective Environmental and Sustainability Education

What is U.S. Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS)? Source: http://blog.fundingfactory.com/2013/04/spotlight-education/

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•Reduction in Greenhouse Gases•Energy Star Ratings

Greenhouse Gas Emissions

•Reduction in Water Consumption•Alternative Irrigation TechniquesWater•Recycling Rate•Methods to recycle Hazardous WasteWaste•Percentage of students that use Alternate Transportation

Transportation

Pillar One: Reduced Environmental Impacts

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•Practices to control pests•Practices to control moisture•Practices to improve indoor air quality

Environmental Health

Program

•Practices that school employs to improve nutrition, physical activity, and overall health•What percentage (by cost) of food purchases is certified as “environmentally preferable”

Nutrition, Fitness, and

Outdoors

Pillar Two: Healthy Schools

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•What practices does your school employ to ensure the environmental literacy of your graduates?

Teaching Relationships between

Environmental, Energy, and Human Systems

•Is sustainability used as a context for learning science?•What connections are made between classroom and college and career readiness?

Sustainability Embedded in STEM Courses

•Meaningful outdoor experience•Partnerships with the local community

Civic Engagement Knowledge and

Skills

Pillar Three: Environmental Education

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"Inspire schools doing little to do more. Engage the Department of Education in

green school business. Engage the various state federal and local

entities… to work together.”

(Jim Elder, Campaign for Environmental Literacy)

What is the Purpose of ED-GRS?

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PILLAR ONEREDUCED ENVIRONMENTAL IMPACT

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Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Average Reduction: 22% per year

Non-Transportation Energy Use: Average Reduction: 18% a year

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Describe your school’s strategies to encourage alternate transportation (walking, biking, or bussing)?

How does your school put measures into place to reduce its transportation impact?

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PILLAR TWOIMPROVED HEALTH AND WELLNESS

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PILLAR THREEEffective Environmental Education

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INCENTIVES, OBSTACLES,

IMPROVEMENTS

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Schools’ Obstacles to Applying

Application is difficult and time consuming Lack of awareness No financial award Achieving the pillars costs too much money Misconception that schools need a lot of

money to “go green” Lack of communication between state and

local contacts Long-term trends may point to other

obstacles

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Percent Decrease or Increase in Number of Applications sent to the State Level

2012-2013

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What are ways to make more schools aware of ED-GRS?

How can resources be made more available and easy to use for schools interested in applying?

Brainstorm

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Get NGO’s to advertise Webinars Establish key liaisons throughout schools

and school districts Use media, conferences, and workshops to

discuss Green School Honorees’ Practices Involve the PTA

Spreading Awareness

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Schools’ Obstacles to Applying

No financial award Achieving the pillars costs too much money Misconception that schools need a lot of

money to “go green” Lack of communication between state and

local contacts Long-term trends may point to other

obstacles

Application is difficult and time consuming Lack of awareness

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Honorees’ school district revenue is $13,425 per student

National average expenditures per student is $10,615

School District Revenue

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By switching from paper to electronic newsletters, one Green Ribbon Honoree reduced their paper usage by 44%

Save Money Going Green

These Improvements have been done in Green Ribbon

Schools!

Use Less PaperoRe-use previously printed on paper

oLimit student printing

oPrint double-sided

oPrint on half-sheets

oUse online coursework, grades, and attendance

oSend out electronic newsletters

LOW COST, NO COST, EASY IMPROVEMENTS FOR SCHOOLS

Image Sources: Wikipedia Commons, flckr photo sharing

Resulted in 33% energy usage reduction in this school (automation)

Installing new LED bulbs saved one school 28% on energy usage.

Reduce School Energy UsageoTape down one light switch in each classroom

oTurn off hallway lights during the day

oTurn off all lights when leaving the room

oDo a lighting retrofit in your school

oPut unused LCD projectors in sleep mode

oTurn off all computers at the end of the day

oHave an automation system controlling the timing of heating, air conditioning, and lighting

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Image Sources: Wikipedia Commons, flckr photo sharing

Saved one school $30,000 on waste annually

30% of all 2013 Green Ribbon Honorees saved money on fuel just by planning efficient bus routing

Reduce WasteoEstablish School-wide collections of hazardous waste (cell-phones, batteries, light bulbs and print cartridges)

oDuring locker clean-out, students separate their school supplies into re-useable supplies and waste

oStudents put uneaten food on a “Share Table” for other students to take

oPut more recycling bins in the school

Improve nutrition and educationoUse smaller trays to encourage smaller portions

oServe frozen Yogurt instead of ice cream

oStudents conduct water audits, check for leakage, and install more water-efficient aerators

oUse the school’s energy savings in lesson plans

oSend home a “Going Green Newsletter” with updates on the school’s environmental progress

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Schools’ Obstacles to Applying

Application is difficult and time consuming Lack of awareness No financial award Achieving the pillars costs too much money Misconception that schools need a lot of

money to “go green” Lack of communication between state and

local contacts Long-term trends may point to other

obstacles

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Student health Academic performance Money savings

Incentives

Similar programs with monetary awards The Honor of receiving a Green Ribbon

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Electronic Applications Standard application or standard questions Central website where schools can share

information An Application with all Honorees’ average

results Make resources readily available to the

applicants Make grants and funding easily accessible Increase communication between schools,

school districts, and states

Improvements to the ED-GRS award process

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Questions?

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