How Green Schools Save Money, Promote Health, and Improve Achievement

Inverness Associates

Triple Bottom Line

How Green Schools Save Money, Promote Health, and Improve Achievement

CAIS Trustee Heads Conference

January 25, 2014 Paul Chapman, Inverness Associates

invernessassociates.org


Spaceship Earth

The Challenges We Face

•  Stabilize Population •  Eradicate Poverty •  Restore the

Environment •  Climate Action Plan •  The Great Mobilization

•  There is No PLANet B!


A Green Journey •  Discovering Nature •  Go West Young Man •  UHS and HRS •  Encore Career



The Triple Bottom Line

Green Schools… • Save Money • Boost Achievement • Improve Health


How to Make Your School Sustainable:

It’s Easy Being Green


What Is a Green School?

Environmental Mission and Strategic Plan

The Five Foundations

1. Efficient Resources 2. Healthy Environment 3. Nutritious Food 4. Ecological Curriculum 5. Community Practice

Green Ribbon Schools


“Green schools and environmental literacy in fact complement the goals of providing a well-‐rounded educa8on for the 21st century, of modernizing schools at reduced costs, and of accelera8ng learning.” Arne Duncan, U.S. Secretary of Educa4on

•  U.S. Department of Education launches a “comprehensive approach to greening schools” (2011)

•  Three Pillars –  Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency –  Healthy School Environments –  Environmental and Sustainability Education


How to Green Your School • Clear Vision, Mission,

Goals, and Action Plan

•  Strong Leadership: Top Down, Bottom Up

•  Teamwork: Green Council & Green Teams

•  Five Foundations

•  Measure & Report Progress


Alejo’s Story


Team Green for Results • Love of Nature in Mission • Green Council for Action

• Recycling & Trash Audit • LEED Gold High School • Certified Green Business • Ecological Curriculum

• School Garden and Café • Environmental Stewards

Renewable Energy Plan


Environmental Stewards



Mapping the Nation’s Green School

Movement

California Leading the Green Way



National Green Schools Survey and Methodology

•  What is the state of environmental education (EE) in independent schools?

•  Why do schools adopt EE programs and what challenges do they face in that process?

•  How do schools reduce their footprint, promote healthy operations, incorporate EE in the curriculum, offer healthy food, empower students?

•  What do schools need in order to strengthen their EE and sustainability programs?

•  Background: 678 schools, 35% response rate nationally, CAIS (93/211) = 44% response rate!


Executive Summary

•  Interest in EES very high •  Environmental concern top motivator •  Organization around mission, policy, strategic

plan and green team •  Engaged faculty and students in the lead •  Some sustainability coordinators •  Many motivated volunteers •  Financial support modest •  Waste reduction, recycling, composting, energy

efficiency widely embraced •  School gardens and nutritious food very present •  Green building practices taking hold


Interest in Green Very High


Environmental Concern Motivates


Green Initiatives Underway


Green Resources and Operations Major Focus for EES in Schools


Food and Gardens Growing


EES Success Varies


Curriculum Starts to Integrate EES


Informal EES Vital


Challenges Facing Schools

CAIS and National Trends Green Element CAIS National

School garden integrated in program 79% 57% (22%)

Green purchasing policy 39% 22% (17%)

Financial Support > $25,000 33% 17% (15%)

Required organic and local food 57% 44% (13%)

Sustainable landscaping 59% 46% (13%)

Green Team 66% 54% (12%)

Board and Head Support 65% 55% (10%)

Parent Green Committee 20% 10% (10%)

Sustainability in mission 51% 42% (9%)

Green policies 57% 48% (9%)



Meeting EES Needs •  More time, resources, commitment, leadership •  Coordination of efforts into an integrated whole •  Greater commitment to green initiatives at the

Board level •  More integration of environmental education

into the curriculum •  A concise curriculum that can be used in all

grade levels •  Improved faculty professional development •  Better use of outside resources •  Help from outside to put program in place


Schools Going Green

Stories from the National Field


Putney’s ZNE Field House

• LEED Platinum field house • Saving $, ROI, life cycle cost analysis key • First zero net energy high school in US


Lawrenceville: Stewardship Ethic

• Liz Duffy’s Charrette • Grid Neutral Goal •  30 acre, 6.1 megawatt

solar array

•  Savings estimated @ $400,000/year for 20 years, 95% of need


Sidwell Friends’ Green Journey

• Systemic change: Board, Head & CFO • The Journey to David Orr at Oberlin • 1st LEED Platinum Middle School in US • A Green Ribbon School, 2012

St. Mark’s School Green Vision

“Respecting the needs of future generations, the St. Mark’s School of Texas will provide leadership in environmental sustainability and responsibility. The School assigns significant priority to integrating environmental awareness, understanding and stewardship into its academic mission, campus improvements, and operations.” Board of Trustees, 1/2010



Athenian School Saves


Prospect Sierra: Team Leadership •  From Pizza Day to the

Green Schools Initiative

•  Director of Innovation, Partnership and Service

•  Facilities Manager Steve Harrington’s Solar Plan and Campus Renovation

•  Student Carrot Mob for Environmental Change

MCDS Strategic Sustainbility Change Leaders:

Adam Willner & Lucinda Lee Katz

A Food Revolution: Jason Hull


Marlborough Leadership Lessons

“Marlborough School strives to become a community where environmental stewardship will be achieved through awareness and action.”

Marlborough School Board of Trustees, 2006


Midland School Shines


Thacher School: Sustainability In the Air We Breath



Punahou’s Sustainability Plan •  Sustainability Summit and

Challenge (2005) •  Physical Plant Director

Randy Overton: “The Right Thing to Do”

•  LEED: Case MS, Omidyar K-1 Neighborhood

•  Energy Star Portfolio Manager, 42% more efficient MS building

•  Life-Cycle Cost Analysis: Recoup $56M in 50 yrs. in operating efficiency


Steps Your School Can Take to Be Green


The Board, Head & CFO: The School’s Green Leaders

• Resources – Energy Audit: Energy Star Portfolio Manager – Building/Remodeling Green: LEED, CHPS – Water Conservation: Artificial Turf & Heat

Islands

•  Operations – The 4 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot – The School’s Carbon Footprint and CO2 Plan – Green Business Certification – Green Purchasing Plans


Green Leaders II •  Food

–  The Cafeteria: Local, Seasonal & Sustainable –  A School Garden Plan –  Farm to School Program and CSA Partnership

•  The Curriculum –  Sustainability Director & Program Consulting –  21st C. Skills: Thinking, Communication, Character –  Professional Development

•  Student Leaders

–  A Business Office Labor Force for Energy Audits –  Project-Based Learning –  Inspiring Environmental Stewards


Why Go Green?

Triple Bottom Line • Saves $ • Boosts Achievement • Improves Health

And Helps the

Environment Too!

How Green Schools Save Money, Promote Health, and Improve Achievement

Education

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