Easy Ways to Green Your School

Andrea Falken, Director of the Green Ribbon Schools program, provides her thoughts on greening schools on the US Department of Education’s Blog. Some ideas include planting a community garden, encouraging students to bring reusable lunchware, and starting a recycling program.

What has your school done to go green?

Meghan Covert Russell

School-Friendly YouTube Channel

YouTube has launched a new network – YouTube for Schools – that allows educators to grant students access to educational content from YouTube EDU while excluding other content.  YouTube EDU includes content from the Smithsonian, TED, Steve Spangler Science, MIT and Numberphile, among many others. 

Meghan Covert Russell

Become a California Green Ribbon School

California is one of 33 states and the District of Columbia which plan to nominate schools for the US Department of Education’s Green Ribbon Schools award program. The program asks states to nominate schools that come closest to achieving the goals the Green Ribbon program has established: net zero environmental impact of facilities, net positive health impact on students and staff, and 100% environmentally literate graduates.

“We are excited about the potential impact the Green Ribbon Schools awards program can have in encouraging schools to improve their energy efficiency, create healthy environments for students and staff, and enhance their work to effectively prepare graduates for 21st century careers,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan.

States must submit nominations to the US Department of Education by May 22, 2012 and winners will be announced in April.

For more information on the Green Ribbon Schools program please visit the US Department of Education’s website.

Meghan Covert Russell