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What is a Green School? When people hear “Green School,” they often picture solar panels, school gardens, or maybe a greenhouse out back. While those are pieces of the puzzle, the full picture is much more powerful. A Green School integrates sustainability into every aspect of the learning experience: from the design of its physical space to its curriculum, culture, and community impact. It's a school that not only teaches sustainability but lives it, showing students, educators, and families what a healthier, more equitable future can look like—and empowering them to lead the way. In our latest episode of the Better Learning Podcast, we dive into why Green Schools matter now more than ever. With nearly 100,000 public schools across the U.S., the stakes are high. School facilities don't just house students—they influence how well they learn, how healthy they are, and how connected their communities feel. We explore the current challenges in school infrastructure, including the startling reality that many buildings still lack basics like proper ventilation or air conditioning. These gaps disproportionately affect underserved communities and create barriers to learning and well-being. A Green School aims to change that. By reducing environmental impact, improving health and performance, and delivering sustainability education, these schools set the standard for how we treat each other and the planet. They become catalysts for change—transforming not just students, but entire communities. Takeaways: Green Schools go beyond solar panels and gardens. They integrate sustainability into curriculum, culture, and community. Millions of students attend outdated schools every day — with nearly 100,000 public schools across the U.S. and over 7.5 billion square feet in need of modernization, the learning environment is failing to keep pace with student needs. School leaders play a critical role in long-term sustainability. Partnering with experts who prioritize healthy, future-ready design ensures that new school buildings serve students and communities for decades to come, not just on day one. Schools can take advantage of available tax credits and funding by prioritizing sustainable building practices. About The Guest Panelists: Jana Silsby, DLR Group LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jana-silsby-450b7a13/ Phoebe Beierle, U.S. Green Building Council: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/phoebebeierle/ Sara Ross, UnDauntedK12: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarajross/ Connect with episode host, Carla Cummins: LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/carla-cummins-01449659/ The Energy, Carbon, and Sustainability in K-12 Education Symposium When: June 24th-25th Where: Washington DC Register & Learn More Here! Episode 230 of the Better Learning Podcast Kevin Stoller is the host of the Better Learning Podcast and Co-Founder of Kay-Twelve, a national leader for educational furniture. Learn more about creating better learning environments at www.Kay-Twelve.com. For more information on our partners: Association for Learning Environments (A4LE) - https://www.a4le.org/ Education Leaders' Organization - https://www.ed-leaders.org/ Second Class Foundation - https://secondclassfoundation.org/ EDmarket - https://www.edmarket.org/ Catapult @ Penn GSE - https://catapult.gse.upenn.edu/ Want to be a Guest Speaker? Request on our website
In this conversation, we dig into how reuse contributes to workforce development and economic opportunity - now and for future generations. Host Brooking Gatewood sits down with Matthew Luisier of r.World, a fast-growing reuse service provider, and Natasha Wayne with Reaching All Minds Academy, a charter school that has taken on the challenge of switching back to reusables as part of its STEM through sustainability educational mission. With recent data showing that reuse creates more and safer jobs than landfills and recycling — we ground this data in the stories of two people helping manage the shift to a reuse economy in very different ways.Resources: r.WorldReaching All Minds AcademyThe Role of Reuse in a Just TransitionReuse vs Single-use: EconomicsGet involved:Join the Reuse Solutions NetworkSupport Upstream to make sure these stories continue to be heard and the reuse economy continues to grow — thank you!
In this episode of The Resilience Lab with Rex Miller, Melissa Turnbaugh, Senior Principal, Firmwide PreK-12 Market Leader at PBK, shares her vision for transforming education through innovation and intentional design. Melissa discusses how connecting students to nature, fostering creativity, and designing spaces that reflect the identity of their communities can revolutionize the way schools serve their students. She dives into the power of public-private collaboration, the importance of creating equitable and sustainable learning environments, and how small changes—like reimagining outdoor spaces—can inspire pride and connection while addressing larger societal challenges. This conversation is a powerful exploration of how thoughtful design can shape the future of education and the communities it serves. Don't miss this inspiring episode!
In this special schools-themed episode of the Carbon Copy Podcast, we revisit conversations recorded during the Running Out of Time climate relay, with four amazing organisations helping to provide climate change education to children, young people and teachers, and helping schools to take action for climate and nature as part of the curriculum. We meet Lizzie Gimblett, founder of Pupils Profit, which helps children to set up and manage eco-refill shops at their schools; Richard Pollard of the Tree Council who works to embed learning about nature into classrooms and education settings; Jo Pettifer of the Ashden-led Let's Go Zero programme and Michelle Parkes of Earth Cubs who provide climate change and sustainability education to very young children. Listen to hear: How children are helping spread the word about reuse to their families by running Pupils Profit refill shops at school. About the many different ways the Tree Council is connecting children with trees and nature in education settings. How Ashden's Let's Go Zero programme is providing climate change education and helping schools to reduce their emissions – whatever stage they are at on their climate journey. How Earth Cubs is using fun cartoon characters to teach young children about the environment and the actions they can take. Show Notes Read more about Pupils Profit on Carbon Copy: https://carboncopy.eco/initiatives/pupils-profit Read more about the Tree Council's Young Tree Champions programme: https://youngtreechampions.org/ Find out about signing your school up to Let's Go Zero: https://letsgozero.org/join/ Read more about Earth Cubs on Carbon Copy: https://carboncopy.eco/initiatives/earth-cubs Discover a thousand big-thinking local projects for you to copy and adapt in your own area: https://carboncopy.eco/initiatives Learn about different actions you can take with your school and in your community: https://carboncopy.eco/community Subscribe to the Carbon Copy Podcast: https://shows.acast.com/copy-this Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
Muskan Walia and Angelina Xu, two young environmental leaders who were recently recognized for their accomplishments by the 2023 Brower Youth Awards, join Terra Verde host Fiona McLeod to discuss their work organizing their schools' transition to clean energy and zero food waste. The post Youth Activists are Leading the Way to Sustainable Schools appeared first on KPFA.
Tim Baird, former Superintendent of the Encinitas Union Elementary School District and Board Member of the Classroom of the Future Foundation (CFF), talks about the recent CFF-produced "Supe Tank" presentations of nine local superintendents at Qualcomm Industries. Each "Supe Tank" presentation featured a pitch from the presenting superintendent to support a key initiative in his or her district. Baird, the Director of Educational Partnerships of the Green Schools National Network, discusses sustainable schools.
Dorian welcomes Laura Barke and Lee Jowett into the studio for a fabulous discussion about how school leaders and teachers can implement impactful strategies for schools to become more sustainable. We talk about how greener governance should empower leaders and teachers to weave sustainability into the curriculum, craft sustainability policies and engage with local communities and councils to help schools achieve sustainability targets. Both Lee and Laura offer some practical ideas to ‘get the ball rolling' from a classroom level all the way up. Their knowledge, experience and passion for sustainability education in schools shines through in this thoroughly enjoyable talk and there are takeaways for everybody, at whatever stage your schools are in your sustainability journeys. Links mentioned in the show: Sustainable Schools Leicester on Twitter @EcoSchoolsLCC Leicester schools extranet https://schools.leicester.gov.uk/ Sustainable Schools newsletter https://schools.leicester.gov.uk/media/7738/january-2022.pdf Leicester City Council's Climate Emergency Action Plan https://data.climateemergency.uk/media/data/plans/leicester-city-council-4ea2a6c.pdf
This week we're hearing from inspiring young people from Swansea and Neath Port Talbot. The future of our region is in the hands of the younger generation, and we're interested in what motivates young people to get involved in changemaking projects and how we can amplify their voices and encourage them to become facilitators of positive change. We hear from Neath Port Talbot Youth Council member Lola, who has been involved in projects such as Sustainable Schools, which aims to reduce plastic in school canteens and a pilot project involving fruit trees within schools. We also hear from Swansea-based young people Jed, Elliot and Jake who have used their voice to successfully campaign for and fundraise a skatepark in Bishopston by using community collaboration to make their voice heard within the local area.
Welcome to the first episode of Doorways to Sustainable Schools - a podcast aimed to support London schools to engage in London Climate Action Week 16th-22nd November 2020. (https://www.londonclimateactionweek.org/) The show will be hosted by Martin Crabbe, chair of the London Sustainable Schools Forum and a Geography teacher in London, but in this first episode, Martin is the one being interviewed. We talk about his reasons for starting the podcast and what to expect going forward, London Climate Action Week and how schools can start their journey in sustainability. Plus, Martin shares a free lesson plan, suitable for all age groups, to get us started. Find this episode's supplementary lesson plan here. (http://www.londonsustainableschools.org/doorways-podcast.html) Start your school's journey into sustainability: Outdoor Classroom Day (https://outdoorclassroomday.com/) Eco-Schools (https://www.eco-schools.org.uk/) London National Park City (https://www.nationalparkcity.london/get-more-involved/get-more-involved-1/schools-network) Great resources at Transform Our World (https://www.transform-our-world.org/) Find out more about London Sustainable Schools Forum (http://www.londonsustainableschools.org/) This podcast was produced by The Pod Farm. (https://www.thepodfarm.com/)
Welcome to this new fortnightly podcast, Doorways to Sustainable Schools. It's aim is to consider practical action that schools could take to help them engage in London Climate Action Week 2020 (November 14th-20th). This new podcast will focus on the journey of one teacher as he tries to help his school become more sustainable by trying out some inspirational ideas from some of London's most amazing people. A supplementary lesson plan will be released alongside each episode. This podcast is part of a larger project, also called Doorways that was launched during lockdown, a time of crisis when the 'doorways' in the places we live, work and shop have had a whole new significance. Doorways is hosted by Martin Crabbe, chair of the London Sustainable School Forum and Head of Geography at Glebe School, a secondary SEN school in the London Borough of Bromley. Subscribe now to catch the first episode.
In this episode of the Modern Energy Management Podcast, Martha Larson, Manager of Campus Energy and Sustainability at Carleton College shares her journey of modern energy management on campus. In this episode Martha shares:Her modern energy management journeyHow technology helped Carleton modernize their energy programWhy the role of "Energy Manager" is changingand much more.Don't forget to subscribe to the Modern Energy Management podcast wherever you get your podcasts. Visit modernenergymanagement.co for more information about the podcast and additional resources to modernize your energy program. Get a free copy of our "2019 State of Energy Management" research report with feedback from over 200 energy and sustainability leaders about.
In this episode of The Plant Trainers Podcast, we talk about ways to create healthier more sustainable schools. As you can imagine, Shoshana makes sure to have a voice in the decisions that are being made in their children’s school. Everything from nutrition, fitness, mindfulness, and waste is important to us in our family, and we want our children having those values carried over into their school experiences from themselves and their friends. The tricky part is how to institute change without getting pushback before you even open the door; something she has done somewhat elegantly. Hopefully, by the end of this episode, Adam feels like he understands why Shoshana spends this time at the school instead of with the family. Please share this episode with any value-driven parents who want to see a change in their children’s schools. You can find it posted on Instagram and Twitter (@planttrainers) as well as on the Plant Trainers Podcast Facebook page. In this episode we discuss: Schools committees Why make the commitment What vocabulary to use Make a list How to approach topics Full inclusion School lunches Buying junk and fundraisers Special events The environment Charities
Sustainable Schools, the Expansion of Brown Owl and the Left Coast Burger Company Opens Soon.
An ingenious traffic light system & petitioning the head to ditch plastic - hear how students from Fleetville Junior School and Garden Fields JMI are making their schools more sustainable. Plus, Heathrow expansion would have enormous environmental impact, but how will it affect aircraft noise here in St.Albans? Peter Crowder of St.Albans Quieter Skies has [...]
What’s happened at Harpenden deli/coffee shop Parker & Vine since their brave decision to ditch disposable coffee cups? And we hear from Loreto School and Marlborough Science Academy about their eco- initiatives for this year’s Sustainable Schools award.
The Hope in Action conference is an opportunity for 4th graders in Eugene, Oregon to learn about sustainability with hands-on workshops, speakers, dialogue and inspirational speakers. It is offered by Partners for Sustainable Schools, a 501 c (3) non profit organization in Eugene, Oregon. Hear from the Executive Director, Mel Bankoff and numerous presenters about the reasons behind this movement, what is taught and learned, and how it takes a village to empower children to be creative, responsible leaders.
Kari Grady Grossman is the co-founder of Sustainable Schools International. After traveling to Cambodia in 2001 to adopt their son, Kari and her husband created the school, and, because of Kari, the school has the first primary school music program in Cambodia, a teacher’s residence and library. She also started a silk import business and an environmentally sustainable cooking fuel business to support schools. A former writer for Discovery Channel Online, Kari is also the author of Bones That Float, A Story of Adopting Cambodia, which was the winner of the 2008 “Peacemaker of the Year” Award from the Independent Publisher’s Association and a Gold Nautilus Book Award for World Changing Books.
Slides and audio from a talk by Alan Dale, Architect and Independent Consultant for BSF, given on 11th May 2009 at the University of Nottingham as part of the Lecture series 'Transforming our schools'. Alan Dale is an experienced schools architect working both for local authority and in private practice. He has recently been working as a design advisor for Building Schools for the Future programmes in the North West, South London and Islington and is preparing a book on school design which summ
Slides and audio from a talk by Prue Chiles, Director of Architecture at the School of Architecture, The University of Sheffield given on 6th May 2009 at the University of Nottingham as part of the Lecture series 'Transforming our schools'. Prue's talk is entitled "Learning through Architecture - Engagement, design and construction as a learning tool. The talk looks at how schools and playgrounds can inspire children and staff about issues of environment, about healthy living, about interacti
Slides and audio from a talk by Glenn Strachan of the University of Gloucestershire, given on 11th May 2009 at the University of Nottingham as part of the Lecture series 'Transforming our schools'. Glenn's talk is entitled "Researching the relationship between sustainable design in education buildings and institutional change for sustainability".