Green Ribbon Schools Resources

RESOURCES FOR GREEN SCHOOLS

This page is designed to make Green Ribbon School resources easier to find. It is offered as a convenience for schools, teachers, parents and students. The U.S. Department of Education does not control or guarantee the accuracy, relevance, timeliness, completeness or effectiveness of outside resources. The inclusion of particular resources is not intended to reflect their importance, nor is it intended to endorse any views expressed or products or services. It is a work in progress, updated regularly. Many of the websites listed have useful resources in a number of categories and are listed in only one for brevity.

I. Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency Resources

The following are some examples of resources to support energy efficient and sustainable facilities:

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ENERGY AND WATER EFFICIENCY

• DOE and EPA ENERGY STAR for K-12 School Districts

• DOE Purchasing Specifications for Energy Efficient Products

• EPA Guidelines for Energy Management Overview

• DOE State Energy Program

• EPA WaterSense

• D OE Wind for Schools Project

• USDA Fuels for Schools

ALTERNATIVE TRANSPORTATION

• DOT Pedestrian & Bicycle Safety

• Safe Routes to Schools

• International Walk to School Month

• Walking School Bus

RECYCLING AND WASTE MANAGEMENT

• EPA WasteWise

• EPA Reducing Risk From Hazardous Waste

• CDC Hazardous Waste Self-Management Checklist

• EPA Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools

• Terra Cycle

• Grades of Green Trash Redux

• Earth911

• Call2Recycle

• Green Up Our Schools

GREEN COMPUTING

• Consortium for School Networking Initiative Green Computing for K-12 Schools

• Environmentally Friendly Printers Association

• Green Electronics Council

• EPEAT Green Electronics Registry

• Consumer Electronics Association Greener Gadgets

BUILDING DESIGN AND PERFORMANCE

• Advanced Energy Design Guide for 50% energy savings in K-12 schools

• USGBC Center for Green School Resources

• Collaborative for High Performance Schools

• National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities

• American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers Green Standard

• Green Building Initiative Green Globes

• Center for Environmental Innovation in Roofing RoofPoint

FACILITIES VOLUNTEERS AND FUNDS

• USDA Community Facilities Loans and Grants

• Donors Choose

• DOE America’s Home Energy Education Challenge

• Kohl’s Associates in Action

• Keep America Beautiful Recycle-Bowl

• Green Education Foundation Green Energy Challenge

II. Healthy School Environments Resources

The following are some examples of resources to support healthier schools:

AIR QUALITY PRESERVATION

• EPA Indoor Air Quality Tools for Schools

• EPA Assessing Outdoor Air Near Schools

• EPA Clean School Bus USA

• EPA Healthy Schools Environments Assessment Tool

• EPA Managing Asthma in Schools

• CDC American Lung Association Asthma Friendly Schools Toolkit

• EPA School Flag Program

• CDC Tools for Making Your School Asthma-Friendly

• Green Education Foundation Healthy Schools Questionnaire & Audit

CONTAMINANT MANAGEMENT

• EPA Buy Clean

• EPA Integrated Pest Management for Schools

• EPA Schools Chemical Cleanout Campaign

• EPA Radon Information

• CDC Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use

• EPA Managing Asbestos in Schools

• EPA Lead Renovation, Repair, and Painting in Schools

• EPA Proper Maintenance, Removal and Disposal of PCB-Containing Lights

• CDC Underground Storage Tank Self-Inspection Checklist

• EPA Schools and Mercury

• EPA Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings

  • EPA Drinking Water in Schools and Child Care Facilities

GREEN CLEANING

• EPA Design for the Environment

• Green Seal

• ISSA - The Worldwide Cleaning Industry Association’s CIMS Standard

• Green Cleaning for Healthy Schools

SUPPLY AND EQUIPMENT

• Green Guard Environmental Institute

• Eco Logo

PHYSICAL FITNESS

• The First Lady’s Let’s Move!

• The President’s Challenge

• Partnership for A Healthier America

• Alliance for a Healthier Generation

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation PreventObesity

• Healthy Schools Campaign, School Food and Fitness

• National Healthy Schools Day

NUTRITION

• USDA Farm to School Program

• USDA National Organic Program

• USDA HealthierUS School Challenge

• National Farm to School Network

• CNCS: Expand Access to Healthy Local Food

• Alliance for a Healthier Generation

• Better School Food

• The Healthy School Lunch Campaign

III. Environmental and Sustainability Education Resources

T he following are some examples of resources to support effective environmental and sustainability education:

TEACHING AND LEARNING ENERGY CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE CHANGE

• DOE EnergyKids

• DOE H2 Educate

• EPA Student's Guide to Global Climate Change

• US Global Change Research Program Climate Change Toolkit for Educators

• NOAA Climate Services: Education

• EPA Climate Change: What You Can Do At School

• EPA Energy Star Join the Fight Against Climate Change

• NSF Climate Literacy and Energy Awareness Network

• NSF/ NOAA Earth System Science Education Alliance Courses

• Alliance for Climate Education

• PG&E Resources for Teachers and Kids

ENVIRONMENTAL AND SUSTAINABILITY EDUCATION LESSONS

• ED Federal Resources for Educational Excellence, Environment

• NSF Digital Library for Earth System Education

• NOAA B-WET

• Nature Net Educational Resources

• US Partnership for Education for Sustainable Development

• NAAEE's Excellence in Environmental Education: Guidelines for Learning (K-12)

• Earth Exploration Toolbook

• Facing the Future's Curriculum and Lesson Finder

• Green Education Foundation Sustainability Education Clearinghouse

• 4-H Exploring Your Environment

ASSESSING ENVIRONMENTAL LITERACY

• NAAEE Framework for Assessing Environmental Literacy

• NOAA Ocean Literacy Framework

• NOAA/ EPA Environmental Education Evaluation Resource Assistant

HANDS-ON PROJECTS AND CHALLENGES

• NSF National Lab Network

• DOT Adopt A Ship Program

• EPA Students for the Environment

• Coastal America Ocean Artwork Contest

• Change the Equation

• Do Something

• Eco-Schools USA

• Project Learning Tree’s Green Schools!

• National Resources Defense Council Green Squad

GRANTS AND AWARDS

• EPA Environmental Education Grants

• EPA President’s Environmental Youth Awards

• Lexus Eco-Challenge

• SeaWorld Environmental Excellence Awards

• Canon Envirothon

• Toyota Tapestry Grant

• Toshiba ExploraVision

• Toshiba Grants

EVENTS AND AWARENESS

• Earth Day

• World Environment Day

• National Environmental Education Week

• National Healthy Schools Day

• National Bike to School Day

STEM CONTENT KNOWLEDGE

• White House Educate to Innovate

• NSF National Science Digital Library

• NSF Live Science

• NSF ILab Central

• NSF Science Education Resource Center at Carleton College

• STEM Connector

• Community Resources for Science

• Lawrence Hall of Science

• Math Out of the Box

• Asset Inc

• Kinetic City

• California Mathematics Engineering Science Achievement

• STEM Education Coalition

TEACHER RESOURCES

• EPA Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans

• DOE STEM Teacher Development

• Bayer Making Science Make Sense

• Teachers Try Science

• Biology Teacher Resources

LEARNING DESIGN AND ARCHITECTURE FOR THE ENVIRONMENT, HEALTH AND ACHIEVEMENT

• Council on Educational Facility Planners International School of the Future Design Competition

• Discover Design

• Green Education Foundation Green Building Program

CONNECTING TO LOCAL OUTDOORS

• National Park Service Education Resources

• Fish and Wildlife Service Schoolyard Habitats

• Hands on the Land

• USDA Agriculture In the Classroom

• NSF/ NOAA Centers for Ocean Sciences for Education Excellence

• NOAA National Marine and Protected Centers Education

• National Wildlife Federation Get Outside

• Coastal America

• Association of Zoos and Aquariums

SCHOOL GARDENS

• School Garden Wizard

• Green Thumb Challenge

• Green Schoolyard Network

SOCIAL NETWORKS

• Project Earth

• Planet Connect

IV. State Resources

Green Ribbon Schools recognizes the work already being done at the state and local level to reduce environmental impact, improve health and graduate environmentally literate citizens. The following are examples of resources available through state green schools programs to assist with implementation of energy efficiency, healthy school environment and environmental education programs.

• Arizona Children's Environmental Health Program: Green Schools

• California Association for Environmental and Outdoor Education

• Missouri Children in Nature Challenge

• Every Child Outdoors Tennessee

• Texas Green Ribbon Schools

• Alabama Department of Economic and Community Affairs

• Florida Department of Environmental Protection

• Florida Green Schools Network

• Environmental Education in Georgia

• Kōkua Hawaiʻi Foundation

• Idaho Department of Environmental Quality

• Illinois Environmental Protection Agency: Green School Programs

• Illinois Resource Guide for Healthy, High Performing School Buildings

• Indiana Department of Environmental Management

• Kansas Green Schools Program

• Kentucky Green & Healthy Schools

• Massachusetts School Building Authority

• Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection

• Massachusetts greenschools

• Maryland Green School Awards Program

• Michigan Green Schools Program

• Minnesota Department of Health – Healthy Environment Program

• Minnesota Pollution Control Agency: Green Building for Schools

Guide for Change (Minnesota)

• New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection

• New Jersey Sustainable Schools Consortium

• New York State Department of Environmental Conservation: Green Schools

• New York’s Green Cleaning Program

• North Carolina Office of Environmental Literacy and Public Affairs

• Oklahoma Green Schools Program

• Oregon Green Schools

• Oregon Sustainable Schools Collaborative

• South Carolina Green Steps Schools

• Tennessee Green Schools Program

• Virginia Recycling Association

• Virginia Municipal League's Green Public Schools Challenge

• Washington Green Schools

• Washington Education for Environment and Sustainability

• Wisconsin Green & Healthy Schools Program

V. Regional and International Resources

Green Ribbon Schools recognizes the work already being done at the regional and international level to reduce environmental impact, improve health and graduate environmentally literate citizens. The following are examples of resources available through regional and international green schools programs to assist with implementation of energy efficiency, healthy school environment and environmental education programs.

• Green Education Foundation: International Green Schools Programs

• Foundation for Environmental Education: Eco-Schools Program

• North American Association for Environmental Education

The US Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools is a federal recognition award and should not be confused with any green schools program conducted by individual states or other non-governmental entities.