Green Schools Initiative

Background
Schools spend over $6 billion nationwide on energy each year, many spending more on energy than on school supplies. The Consortium for Energy Efficiency contends that schools waste up to 25% of energy due to poorly designed or outdated systems. The US Department of Energy estimates that schools could save up to 50% of their energy costs by adopting fairly simple energy-saving measures and renovations. Some estimates suggest that achieving a 25% reduction in energy costs would save a staggering $1.5 billion. These savings could fund 30,000 new teacher salaries, 40 million textbooks or hundreds of thousands of computers.

In addition, a growing body of research indicates that indoor air quality has a pronounced effect on the health, well-being and productivity of occupants. This is particularly true of children who are more sensitive to pollutants. Improving ventilation and the heating/cooling systems can help prevent asthma and sickness as well as increase student performance. A healthy environment and indoor air quality need to be considered vital components of any and all schools.

The good news is that retrofitting existing buildings is easier than ever before, and Green Education Foundation (GEF) is committed to helping schools accomplish these goals while simultaneously educating students on the importance of green buildings and energy and resource efficiency. GEF has created the Green Schools Initiative for this purpose.

Program Overview
The GEF Green Schools Initiative, which launched in November 2009, is a multi-faceted effort that will provide students with valuable skills and aid schools by creating a focus for their capital management plans. The goals of the program are multi-fold and include educating and empowering students to lower their schools' operating costs, shrink waste sent to landfills, improve interior air quality and reduce energy and water usage.

The Green Schools Initiative educational program is guided by the US Green Building Council (USGBC) standards for what constitutes a green building. The online course will provide students with comprehensive instruction on what materials are utilized to build green buildings, what renewable sources of energy are and their availability for use in schools, specific energy and water reduction and conservation strategies and the effective changes necessary to upgrade interiors and landscapes to accommodate for green efficiencies. Upon completion of the course students will utilize GEF’s green building, energy and water checklists to audit their schools to uncover areas for green improvements (with the help of a trained professional).

Students will be instructed to prioritize areas they uncovered for enhanced structural efficiencies (based upon the greatest need/ROI) along with instructions on how to incorporate changes to improve shortcomings. Students and administrators will be given step-by-step instructions on how to request funding from government and utilities companies to pay for necessary upgrades.

Objective and Results
GEF’s objective is to teach green practices that are sustainable and measurable to high school students, school administrators, families and communities. Results of the program will be gathered through mandatory pre- and post-program surveys which will detail changes in actions, habits and attitudes towards environmental sustainability.

Curriculum
Please visit the Curriculum section to access a multitude of environmnental lessons for the Green Energy Challenge.

Editorials
Please visit the GEF Editorial Section to read about the benefits of green buildings and to learn about green jobs.

Enrollment
Enrollment for this program begins October 2009 and is on a first-come, first-serve basis so Enroll today!

© 2009 GEF Eco-Challenge Series All rights reserved.
Fostering the new generation of environmental stewards.