Ultimately, the goals of a green school are to measure and reduce its ecological footprint, while making the school environment healthier for students and staff, and getting the community thinking about solutions to the environmental problems we face together.

 

Watch this inspiring video about why we need green schools, produced by the Green School Initiative LINK

 

 Why Green School?

 

By promoting the design and construction of new green schools and by greening existing schools, we can make a tremendous impact on student health, school operational costs and the environment. A green school is built with more natural daylight, better ventilation, and healthy green building materials, such as tiles, carpeting, insulation, and paint that are formaldehyde-free and low-VOC. Non-toxic cleaning supplies also make green schools healthier and more comfortable environment for students, teachers, and other school employees.Green schools are more than buildings. They are places where children learn the wonders of the world and teachers prepare the next generation of leaders and citizens. These schools are built and operated to be full of clean air and sunlight and to be free of toxic materials and harmful chemicals. Green schools are energy efficient, helping to lower utility costs, conserve resources and reduce waste. Green schools showcase a community's commitment to its children and their future, who in turn learn from an early age the importance and benefits of acting as responsible stewards of their communities and the larger world. LINK

We have also learned that green schools increase student performance, with a marked rise in test scores. Studies have shown that student test scores can improve up to 20% when kids learn in green classrooms that provide more natural day lighting, improved classroom acoustics, and healthier building materials that don’t release toxic chemicals into the air. This can also improve teacher retention and provide more stabile learning environment for kids.