Inverness Associates

The Green Schools Express

Trends in K-12 U.S. Environmental EducationJanuary 2011

Paul Chapmanhttp://www.invernessassociates.org

pchapman5@gmail.com

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My Journey in Search of Green Schools

• A Life in Education• Attuned to Nature• Encore Career• To Give Back, and • Make a Small

Contribution

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It’s For Our Students

• Riva’s Story• Earth Day 2010: “Our

World is Burning Up!”• Schools: Engine of

Social Change• George Counts, Dare

the Schools Build a New Social Order? (1932)

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Mapping the Movement

• Mapping the U.S. K-12 Environmental Movement• Visits Completed: 25 schools, 5 colleges and universities• Visits Planned: 20 independent and public schools• Partners in the Project: Stanford, UC Berkeley, Center for

Ecoliteracy, Green Schools Initiative, Green Schools Alliance• Five Questions: Who, Where, Why, What, How

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Schools and Organizations Visited• Crossroads School, CA• Turning Point School, CA• Besant Hill School, CA• Thacher School, CA• Cate School, CA• Stanford University, CA• UC Berkeley, CA• Mills College, CA• Occidental College, CA• Yale University, CT• National Association of Independent Schools• California Association of Independent Schools• New England Environmental Education Alliance,VT• Green California Schools Summit, CA• Green Schools National Conference, MN

• Shelburne Farms, VT• Barnes Sustainability Academy, VT• Mountain School, VT• Putney School, VT • Northfield Mt. Hermon School, MA• St. Paul’s School, NH• Exeter Academy, NH• White Mountain School, NH• Sidwell Friends School, DC• St. Stevens and St. Agnes School, VA• Charlotte Country Day School, NC• Castilleja School, CA• Prospect Sierra School, CA• Marin Country Day School, CA• Marin Academy, CA• Pasadena Polytechnic School, CA• Environmental Science and Tech HS, CA• Marlborough School, CA• Environmental Charter HS, CA• Windward School, CA

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Bi-Coastal Movement: GSA Schools• New England = 27• East = 70• Mid-Atlantic = 23• South = 32• Midwest = 16• Southwest = 12• Mountain = 10• West = 47• Total = 257

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What Is A Green School?• Commitment to

Environmental Sustainability

• GSI Four Pillars: The Little Green Schoolhouse– Strives to be toxics free– Uses resources sustainably– Create a green, healthy place– Teach, Learn, Engage

• Five Disciplines– Efficient Resources– Healthy Environment– Ecological Curriculum– Nutritious Food– Community Practice

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Who Says It’s a Green School?• AASHE--Association for the Advancement of

Sustainability in Higher Education• CHPS--Collaboration for High Performance Schools• USGBC--US Green Building Council: LEED &

Coalition for Green Schools• NWF--National Wildlife Fund: Eco-Schools• NAIS--National Association of Independent

Schools: Environmentally Sustainable Schools• GSA--Green Schools Alliance• GSI--Green Schools Initiative: Green Star Schools• MAEOE--Maryland Association for Environmental

and Outdoor Education

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Forces Shaping K-12 Environmental Education

• K-12 Schools: Independent, Public, Parochial

• Colleges and Universities

• Non-Profit Environmental Groups

• The Corporate Sector

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How to Green Your School• Clear Vision, Mission,

and Goals• Strong Leadership:

Top Down, Botton Up• Teamwork• Five Disciplines

– Efficient Resources– Healthy Environment– Ecological Curriculum– Nutritious Food– Community Practice

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Vision, Mission and Goals• Explicit Mission

Statement Key• Sustainability

Incorporated in Educational Philosophy

• Board of Trustees Support Crucial

• Strategic Plan Key Tool• Resources, budget

signal importance to community

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Strong Leadership• Role of Principal Very

Important• Sustainability

Coordinator Vital• Sustainability Task

Force, Committee, Department

• Formal training in environmental education a plus

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Efficient Resources

• Energy Efficiency a First Step• Renewable Energy Critical Element• Most Visible Institutional Commitment• Small Group Can Implement• Economic self-interest, saving money key drivers

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Healthy Environment

• Audit toxic and hazardous waste on campus• Develop a removal and monitoring plan• Create a green purchasing policy• Become a Certified Green Business

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Ecological Curriculum

• Focus on head, heart, hand, spirit

• Conduct a curricular audit based on core principles

• Partnerships serve as accelerators

• Link to 21st century skills• Place-based education• Commit Resources to

Professional Development • “Greening a K-12

Curriculum,” Lisa Bennett, Center for Ecoliteracy

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Nutritious Food• Focus of National

Policy Reform• Edible Schoolyard

Movement• Boarding Schools Like

the Mountain School Have a Special Opportunity

• Day Schools Like Marin Academy Have Thriving Gardens

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Students Greening Schools

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The CA Public School Examples• School Construction

Bond, 2006, $10.4B• $100M for high

performance, green schools

• Irvine School District Grid Neutral

• No Child Left Inside• National Environmental

Literacy Plans• CAL EEI

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It’s Not Easy Being Green: Overcoming Challenges

• Costs in a recession• Limited resources, time• Isolation of people,

program• Plateau effect, EfS

fatigue• Standards-based

education• Ideology and politics

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The Way Forward

• Seizing the Time & Opportunity – Individual self-interest– Economic efficiency– Rapidly growing movement– Local, regional and national

networks• Forging a National

Movement– Quintessential American

Practice of Local Organization

– Regional Groupings– National Organization