With the majority of the students in the US and the world soon to be or already back to school, it's time for The Green Guide's annual publication of their survey to find the "greenest schools" in the US. The criteria set for the program involve not just the usual suspects of recycling programs and non-toxic cleaning products, but also LEED certification for buildings, campus green space, procurement and transportation policies, and electricity from renewable sources. These green schools don't just make the buildings healthier and cleaner; it seems that the best also incorporate education about the natural world, the community, and the students' place in it. The top ten schools (eleven, actually, since there were a couple ties) are:
- Punahou School (private), Honolulu, HI
- The Willow School (private), Gladstone, NJ
- Desert Edge High School (public), Goodyear, AZ
- East Clayton Elementary (public), Clayton, NC
- Conserve School (private), Land O'Lakes, WI
- Ross School (private), East Hampton, New York
- Michael E. Capuano Early Childhood Center (public), Somerville, MA
- Clackamas High School (public), Clackamas, OR (tied for 8th place)
- Washburn Elementary School (public), Washburn, WI (tied for 8th place)
- One World Montessori (private), San Jose, CA (tied for 10th place)
There are some interesting dichotomies between the schools: suburban and urban; public and private; geographic locations; elementary and high schools; all in all, the rankings show that green building and sustainability in education are spreading around, not just to the most elite private schools, or concentrated on one coast or region of the country, and that's pretty great. We hope to see more of this each year. [The Green Guide] via [Sustainablog] and