Several organizations including the American Federation of Teachers, the National Education Association, the US Green Building Council and the Center for Green Schools have teamed up to recognize environmental stewardship with the US Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Award. The 3-year old designation is meant to encourage sustainability in schools with high hopes of passing the good example on to children.
The support staff and teachers at these schools that range from elementary on to whole school districts maintain programs that include native landscapes, wildlife habitats and vegetable gardens; engineering and sustainable building systems; recycling, compost and trash collection while turning all their green practices into science, math and language arts lessons. The real world experience often brings food from the gardens into the cafeteria to be prepared nutritiously and with an eye for proper waste disposal. Those life lessons learned early are likely to carry over into adulthood for a healthier and more sustainable future.
Source: Minnesota Educator, September 2014