Green schools are unquestionably the right decision for our
children and the environment. The money saved on energy bills (the
annual energy savings from a single green school is generally in the
6-digit range) can be reallocated to pay for important school
initiatives, additional teachers, better computers, or thousands of
textbooks. Green schools also prevent the unnecessary production of
millions of tons of CO2. Buildings are the largest contributors to US
CO2 production, while renovations and new school erection represent the
largest construction sector in the U.S.-$80 billion in 2006-2008, about
27% of the US construction market (source: McGraw-Hill).
Given the enormous financial and environmental benefits, green schools
seem an obvious choice, but red tape, laws, and up-front costs often
prevent their construction. The highly localized nature of school
budgets creates a bureaucratic disconnect between capital funds (used
for construction) and operating funds (used for utility bills). The
difference in funding sources makes it difficult for schools to realize
the potential operating-cost savings of a green building investment.
To help school boards recognize the financial and environmental
benefits of green building, last summer, the USGBC established the
National Green Schools Advocacy Program, gathering advocates from all
over the states to come together, get educated and organized and ready
to drive coalitions around the country. The idea is to gather all the
stakeholders in a community-in this case as represented by each
chapter's geographic reach-and create a coalition that would go out and
spread the word about the possibilities for green schools. Stakeholders
include parents, school board members, teachers, facility people,
maintenance people, and practitioners of many disciplines. The idea is
to represent the concerns of a school and to ensure that those concerns
be addressed authentically.
In California, we have seven advocates that work to get the word out
about green schools. We are fortunate to be in a state that recognizes
the benefit of healthy environments and is working to ensure that
educational environments are given attention and support.
The Green Schools Advocate program is a rare opportunity
to make an impact in a range of causes. Green schools provide healthier
learning environments and reallocate money (previously squandered on
energy-bills) to important educational initiatives. Additionally, green
schools act as community exemplars-teaching tools, and levers for
mainstreaming green building practices into homes and offices around
the US. Most of all, green schools prevent unnecessary C02 production.
To learn more green schools advocacy in the Northern California region, please contact Pauline Souza.
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Green Schools Resources from USGBC
Get InvolvedContact Pauline Souza to get involved with Green Schools
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Get Involved 
