Sustainability In Schools

More and more school decision-makers, like those in other sectors of society, are considering the impact of operational decisions on the environment and on health – that is, they are striving to promote sustainability in their school.

The U.N. Council on Sustainable Development defines sustainability as “meeting the needs of today without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their needs.” As such, sustainability in a school setting often means adopting practices that reduce the school’s use of natural resources and its impact on climate change; reduce the use of chemicals and other products that are created through harmful manufacturing processes; and provide a healthy environment for students.

Adopting a green cleaning program is an ideal way to integrate sustainable practices into a school’s operations because it reduces the school’s environmental impact while making the school a safer and healthier place for the people who learn and work there.

Potential Impact of Schools

With more than 95,000 public schools in the United States, the environmental impact of schools is dramatic. Schools annually use 454.3 trillion BTUs of energy at the cost of $6 billion, along with millions of pounds of cleaning chemicals and janitorial paper. Schools also generate waste and have an impact on the health of all the people who spend their days learning and working there. They are closely connected to a range of systems – such as food systems and transportation systems – that raise sustainability questions throughout society. Examining sustainability issues in schools allows us to address the very questions at the heart of our society’s larger movement toward sustainability.

This means that sustainable changes in educational institutions – both at a systems level and an individual school level – have the potential to make a real difference for our environment and for children’s health.

For example, the U.S. Department of Energy reports that schools can reduce their energy use by 25 percent simply by implementing energy efficiency measures. This would result in savings of $1.25 billion per year for schools and a reduction of around 23 million tons of carbon emissions.

In schools, sustainability goes hand-in-hand with protecting children’s health and is particularly important because of children’s special vulnerability to the negative effects of toxic exposures. Reducing the use of unnecessary chemicals promotes healthy indoor air quality, and a comprehensive green cleaning program helps prevent the spread of infection.

Learn How Green Cleaning Fits Into Your Sustainability Program.

What Schools Can Do

The Green Schools Initiative developed a set of guiding principles for sustainability and environmental health in schools. The following overview is based on these principles. Click on the bolded text to read more.

Schools and Environmental Stewardship

Schools are central to neighborhood life throughout this country; they often serve not only as educational centers but also as community, arts, and sports centers where students, teachers, parents and other community members get to know each other and share information.

Schools are governed by local school boards and play a prominent role in the life of the community. School policies generate extensive community dialogue. When schools adopt sustainability initiatives such as energy efficiency or green cleaning programs, they do more than save resources and protect children’s health: they also stimulate community-wide discussion about these issues.

Schools that use sustainable practices also tend to incorporate them into student learning, educating future generations about environmental responsibility. More and more evidence is emerging to document the value of healthy, environmentally responsible schools to student and teacher performance. The National Research Council of the National Academies recently released a report, “Green Schools Attributed for Health and Learning.” The report found that environmental factors support student and teacher health, learning and productivity.