GreenNotes
Steps Towards Sustainable School Food
By Greg Christian, Beyond Green Sustainable Food Partners I recently did a three day food waste study with the Environmental Protection Agency at a school district in Illinois. Here is what we found: 10-20% overproduction, 100% processed food, canned...
A Salute to Deborah Moore: A True Green Schools Pioneer
On January 29, 2016, Deborah Moore, Executive Director for the Green Schools Initiative, announced she would be stepping down to join the Union of Concerned Scientists as their Western States Senior Campaign Manager. She assumed her new position on February 1, 2016....
Paving the Way to Healthy School Environments through Superior IAQ
The old saying goes “We are what we eat.” But you know as well as I do that we, as individuals, are much more than that. A variety of factors influence who we are and, in turn, how we learn and interact with our surroundings. One of these factors has begun to...
Case Study: Blue Valley School District’s IAQ Program Supports Optimal Learning Environments for Student Achievement
By. Cyndy Merse, GSNN Content Writer Blue Valley School District (BVSD) in Overland Park, Kansas is committed to providing opportunities for academic and personal growth for each of its 22,023 students. This commitment was a driving force behind the district’s...
Case Study: School District of Philadelphia Models IAQ Success for Large, Urban School Districts
By. Cyndy Merse, GSNN Content Writer The School District of Philadelphia is the eighth largest school district in the country (by enrollment), serving a racially and ethnically diverse population of more than 131,000 K-12 students. As with many large, urban school...
Case Study: North East Independent School District’s Emphasis on Asthma Awareness and Education Drive IAQ Program’s Success
By. Cyndy Merse, GSNN Content Writer The North East Independent School District (NEISD) is the second largest school district in the San Antonio, Texas area and serves approximately 67,500 students. Like many districts of its size, NEISD is not a stranger to dealing...
New Research: Effects of Indoor Environmental Quality on Students’ Test Scores and Health
By Ulla Haverinen-Shaughnessy and Richard J. Shaughnessy Fundamental strategies for managing indoor environmental quality (IEQ) include controlling thermal conditions, adequate ventilation, and effective cleaning. However, IEQ is frequently compromised in schools and...
Healthy High School PRIDE (Partnership in Research on InDoor Environments)
By. Richard L. Corsi, Ph.D., P.E., Chair and ECH Bantel Professor for Professional Practice, Department of Civil, Architectural, and Environmental Engineering, The University of Texas at Austin My colleagues, students, and I were selected as one of seven university...
Healthy Indoor Air in Schools: Improving Student Health and Academic Performance While Going Green
By. Michele Curreri, Environmental Protection Specialist, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Your school is green, but is it healthy? Increased sustainability and energy efficiency typically are the primary goals of schools “going green.” Schools can see an...
Improving the Air We Breathe
By. Nel Smit and John ToddReprinted with permission from Green Teacher #98, Winter 2012-2013. Learn more about Green Teacher’s non-profit magazine and books