Last week, the Green Schools Conference and Expo gathered in Denver, Colorado. The event showcased innovation in sustainability, curriculum and programming, building design, facilities management, health and community service.
During the conference, the Center for Green Schools at USGBC and the Green Schools National Network announced the recipients of the 2018 Best of Green Schools Awards, which recognize individuals, institutions, projects and events that embody the most impactful efforts in school sustainability.
With the scale and pace that social and environmental change demands, there is a great need to teach environmental literacy to young students. In 2010, the Yale Project on Climate Change released a study claiming that “less than half of Americans (45 percent) understand that carbon dioxide traps heat near the Earth’s surface, and a majority think that the hole in the ozone layer contributes to global warming.”
Misconceptions like this prevent people from making informed decisions regarding the well-being of our environment, and over the past several years it's become a priority to connect youth to the environment and sustainability concepts. As K–12 institutions become more involved in the green schools movement through curriculum, the environmental impact of educational facilities are improving as well, through sustainable design and LEED certification.
This year’s honorees share what they believe is the optimal path to environmental and sustainability literacy:
