Green SchoolsSo you have decided that your school wants to become green or just improve its education about global warming. To get you started we have collected a list of helpful links and sites of all things school related. We are eager to learn about your green school story !
Why green schools?
High performance buildings such as schools play a vital role when tracing our environmental impact. The US Green Building Council has developed a benchmark tool, called LEED that helps to support and certify green building design, construction and operations.
20 percent of Americans are spending their days in schools. If all new school construction and renovations were to go green, the energy savings alone would total more than $20 billion over the next 10 years.
Studies of students, who learn in natural lit spaces of such buildings have shown a consistently higher score performance on tests than students in schools using conventional lighting fixtures.
As an added benefit, productivity due to improved air quality has increased and reduced absenteeism in some cases by 50%! Energy efficiency measures in green schools will help save operating costs in declined expenses for water and electricity and will have a positive impact for students when they see and feel the changes.
"But what really counts the most is that we are always watched by our students. Do we then have the courage to put our words into action and model for our children that sustainability is the future or do we wait for other schools to do the first step?"
The way we can influence a generation for sustainability is not merely measured by the monies we save. It is through setting an example for our children by providing the best possible learning environment and by laying a foundation for green thinking as a way of life.