Green Schools

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Schools are the heart and soul of our communities with 20% of our nation attending schools every day.  Green schools can save money in operations and maintenance to hire new teachers, computers and textbooks.   USGBC-C4's goal of inspiring local leadership is key to ensuring that students attend high-performing schools that offer a nurturing learning environment and use less money on energy and water - saving taxpayer money for textbooks, computers, and teacher retention. 

Some of the benefits of green schools are:

• A healthy, productive learning environment: According to the Heschong Mahone study, students performed 20-36% better in day lit environments. Other studies show that there is an average of 38.5% reduction in asthma in green schools with improved indoor air quality. And, students attended school between 3.2 and 3.8 days more per year in green schools with full-spectrum lighting, which resulted in increased funding as well as more learning.
• Improved Teacher Retention: Teachers and staff enjoy working in green schools and tend to be more productive and stay longer.
• Financial savings: Green schools use, on average, 30-50% less energy and 30% less water which can easily equate to a 10% no-cost savings or between $10,000-$30,000 per year.
• Hands-on learning experiences and examples for students and community: Students learn by experience and interaction about sustainable, healthy environments in green schools. They tend to carry this information home and on throughout their lives as they become the next generation of green leaders.

For Information on the  Gateway To Green Program Click the Link Below

Two local leaders, Mayor John Shoals of Grover Beach and Mayor Helene Schneider of Santa Barbara, have taken the important first step of signing on to the U.S. Mayor's Alliance for Green Schools, demonstrating commitment to non-toxic, energy efficient and productive schools.  

In addition to promoting the Mayors' Alliance for Green Schools, USGBC-C4 is promoting Green Schools through the following programs and initiatives:
 
Adopt a School (District):  donors help their school achieve certification under LEED for existing Buildings: Operations and Maintenance, a comprehensive rating system for greening an existing building's operations, from energy and water conservation, through sustainable purchasing, green cleaning, and other measures.

Host a Green School Roll-out Event:  These informational seminars provide the steps necessary for parents, teachers, and administrators to begin to green their school or district.

Host a monthly educational seminar: Each month the green school advocacy committee meets to learn and coordinate efforts to host educational seminars.

For sponsorship opportunities view our flier or please contact sponsorship@usgbcc4.org