Healthier, Wealthier and Wiser

Global Green USA Releases Green Schools Report Endorsing High Performance, Environmentally Sustainable Buildings for Education Facilities

August 11 , 2005

Global Green USA today released its Green Schools Report touting the multiple financial, health, academic and environmental benefits of high performance, environmentally sustainable buildings for education facilities. It also urged the California Legislature to pass and the Governor to sign the Green Schools Bill (AB315). The bill would insure that all new school buildings are built as high-performance schools that improve test scores, lower costs for school districts and create healthier classrooms for teachers and students.

Given that 1/5 of California's population spends their day inside a school (nearly 6.2 million children, teachers and administrators), Global Green calls upon politicians, school officials, builders and the public to help facilitate the implementation of Green School building standards immediately.

Global Green's report (available at www.globalgreen.org) outlines numerous advantages from building green schools including:

• Improved learning - Students progressed 20%-26% faster in classrooms with most daylight
• Increased Attendance - Better indoor air quality leads to fewer absences from illness.
• Lower Operating Costs - Districts can save 20%-40% on utility costs for new schools
• Reduced Energy Dependence - With on-site solar power, schools can further reduce their electricity costs and reduce dependence on the energy grid.

"Failing to protect our kids' health and risking their academic performance is no longer an option. Green school buildings will not only improve the health of students, they will actually put more resources back into the classroom," said Global Green President Matt Petersen.

The Los Angeles, San Francisco and San Diego Unified School Districts are among the school systems throughout California that have already endorsed AB315 introduced by Assemblywoman Loni Hancock (D-Berkeley). "This bill will create minimum environmental design criteria for all new school construction in the state and will provide benefits for our kids and communities for generations to come," said Hancock. "At a time when achievement has become such a high priority, we need to give students the best possible learning environment. Research shows a dramatic improvement in test scores for students who attend Green Schools."

"The LAUSD concurs that schools should be designed and constructed in a manner that enhances pupil performance and teacher satisfaction, reduces operating costs, and minimizes environmental impacts," said Vivian Castro, its Director of Legislative and Government Affairs.

In addition to passing this landmark legislation, Global Green USA urges the Governor, California lawmakers and municipal utilities --such as Los Angeles DWP--to support incentives for schools to install solar and other renewable energy. Given the thousands of school rooftops, the energy generated could help significantly reduce peak demand.

In California, AB315 has passed all assembly committees, and 1 of 2 senate committees and awaits approval by the Senate Appropriations Committee set for hearing on August 15th.

Joining Global Green in endorsing the Green Schools bill are: American Lung Association (Sponsor), Natural Resources Defense Council (Sponsor), California Teachers Association, California Federation of Teachers, Association of California School Administrators, California School Boards Association, Collaborative for High Performance Schools, Los Angeles Unified School District, San Diego Unified School District, San Francisco Unified School District, Dry Creek Joint Elementary School District, New Haven Unified School District, PG&E, Warner Bros., Urban Ecology, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees (AFSCME), Planning and Conservation League, East Bay Municipal Utility District, Literacy for Environmental Justice, Sempra Energy, SMUD, American Institute of Architects, Clean Power Campaign, and the Sierra Club.

Global Green has been a leader on green building and improving our urban environment for a decade and thanks to the Annenberg Foundation, has begun a three year initiative to help LAUSD green its $14 billion in new school construction. Its work to green schools is an extension of an ongoing initiative to bring cutting edge environmental building technology to areas that will most benefit our children and urban communities. Global Green is a longtime member of the US Green Building Council, has two LEED accredited staff members, and provides technical expertise and consulting to developers, designers and public agencies. Through its Green Building Resource Center in Santa Monica, Global Green also provides green building advice, classes and workshops for the general public.

Global Green USA (www.globalgreen.org), headquartered in Los Angeles with offices in Washington D.C. and San Francisco, is the US affiliate of Green Cross International, founded by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. Global Green USA and Green Cross International act as a catalyst, facilitator and mediator encouraging collaborative approaches and crosscutting solutions to environmental challenges in the US and abroad.