SCHOOLS

Schools can help solve climate change by educating students, reducing their own carbon footprint through sustainable operations, and encouraging eco-friendly habits among students and staff. They can integrate climate education into the curriculum, implement waste and energy reduction programs, promote sustainable transportation like walking and biking, and involve students in hands-on projects like planting trees or running energy audits. 

Zero energy schools have experienced exponential growth across the United States, leading a “net-zero” building boom. And they are going up in every sort of school district – urban and rural, affluent and lower income, blue state and red state. On average, zero energy schools use between 65%–80% less energy than conventionally constructed schools, a significant contribution as the national K-12 sector alone spends $6 billion annually on energy bills.

There are now over 5,000 schools across the country with solar installations. These schools are saving money on electric bills, educating students about clean energy, and attempting to enable a brighter future for the next generation. Overall, solar projects at schools could deliver benefits valued at 4 billion.

EDUCATION AND ENGAGEMENT

• Integrate climate education: Weave climate change topics into various subjects to increase climate literacy and help students understand the issue and potential solutions.
• Promote sustainable habits: Educate students on lifestyle choices like reducing waste, conserving energy and water, and using eco-friendly transportation.
• Encourage student-led action: Support student-led projects and eco-committees to empower students to take ownership of environmental initiatives at their school.
• Involve the community: Engage the wider school community, including families, in sustainability efforts and solutions.
• Focus on solutions: Emphasize positive actions and progress to avoid overwhelming students and foster a sense of hope. 

SUSTAINABLE OPERATIONS

• Reduce waste: Implement comprehensive recycling programs, eliminate single-use plastics, and start composting programs.
• Conserve energy: Encourage staff to turn off lights and adjust thermostats, and consider investing in energy-efficient upgrades like heat pumps or solar panels.
• Promote sustainable transportation: Encourage walking, biking, and carpooling to school by providing facilities like bike racks and by participating in programs like "Active and Safe Routes to School".
• Green school grounds: Plant trees, start gardens, and teach students about the importance of these actions for the environment. Create native plant gardens.
• Adopt sustainable practices: Implement sustainable construction methods and consider switching to ethical banking options for the school's accounts. 

PLANNING AND MONITORING

• Create a climate action plan: Develop a formal plan that sets goals for reducing the school's carbon footprint and building resilience to climate change.
• Conduct environmental audits: Assess the school's current environmental impact to identify areas for improvement and track progress over time.
• Monitor and evaluate: Regularly check the effectiveness of sustainability initiatives and adjust the action plan as needed. 

EXAMPLES

Universities

• Stanford University: Focuses on energy efficiency, renewable energy, waste reduction, and water conservation through its "Sustainable Stanford" initiative.
• Arizona State University: Ranked highly for its impact on Sustainable Development Goals.
• Cornell University: Has numerous LEED-certified buildings and is located in an eco-friendly city.
• University of California, Berkeley: Consistently recognized for its sustainability efforts.
• Dickinson College: A consistently top-ranked green college. 

K-12 Schools

In New York City, public schools account for nearly 40 percent of emissions from municipal buildings. P.S. 62 – The Kathleen Grimm School for Leadership and Sustainability at Sandy Ground — is New York’s most environmentally sustainable school and first net-zero school. Hollis Montessori School is the first elementary school in the US that is a certified Passive House, and over 100,000 public schools nationally are LEED certified.  

• Discovery Elementary School (Arlington, VA): The first LEED Zero Energy-certified school in the U.S., using a rooftop solar lab to teach students about energy performance.
• Manassas Park Elementary School (Manassas Park, VA): An award-winning green campus.
• Alder Ave Middle School (Egg Harbor Township, NJ): Recognized by the NWF Eco-Schools USA program.
• The Calhoun School (New York, NY): Features a green roof and water-conserving fixtures.
• The Dalles Middle School (The Dalles, OR): Uses stored groundwater for cooling and wind-turbine ventilation. 

These institutions incorporate sustainability through energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, and integrating environmental literacy into their curriculum and campus design. 

CONCLUSION

Green schools have a lasting impact: research has found that children attending sustainably designed schools have significantly more pro-environment attitudes and behaviors.