Green Schools provide a healthier, high-performance learning and teaching environment that saves energy, resources and is less costly to operate and maintain.
Massachusetts has been a long time leader in the green schools industry at both higher education and k-12 and the state continues to set a high bar for green school design and construction standards. In 2012, Massachusetts signed up to participate in the new US Department of Education's Green Ribbon Award which will provide a high profile award program for green schools in Massachusetts to be recognized for their green school efforts.
The Green Ribbon Award honors schools that are exemplary in:
1. Reducing environmental impact and costs,
2. Improving the health and wellness of students and staff, and
3. Delivering effective environmental and sustainability education that incorporates Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM), civic skills, and green career pathways.
The winners of the 2013 Green Ribbon Awards include schools in Sheffield, Manchester-by-the-Sea, Quincy and Acton. You can read about them here.
The USGBC MA Green Schools Committee has developed several resources to help schools go green: