Contacts:
Danielle Moodie, National Wildlife Federation, 202-797-6634
James Elder, Campaign for Environmental Literacy, 978-526-7768
Sean Miller, Earth Day Network, 202-425-2836
Marisa Long, U.S. Green Building Council, 202-552-1500
U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools Program Open for Public Comment
Campaign for Environmental Literacy, Earth Day Network, National Wildlife Federation and the U.S. Green Building Council encourage schools across the country to send feedback
Washington, DC (Sept. 2, 2011) - The U.S. Department of Education announced this week that the Green Ribbon Schools program is now live for public comment until Sept. 14, 2011. The program, announced in April of this year, will recognize K-12 schools that have taken great strides in environmental impact and energy efficiency, a healthy environment and environmental literacy.
The Green Ribbon School awards will be given to schools that best exemplify America's transition to a sustainable economy, from graduating environmentally literate students to effectively managing their carbon footprint.
The effort to get the Green Ribbon program adopted by the Department and working in conjunction with the Environmental Protection Agency and the White House Council on Environmental Quality, has been strongly supported by the Campaign for Environmental Literacy (CEL), alongside Earth Day Network, the National Wildlife Federation and the U.S. Green Building Council. These organizations, along with the greater NGO community, are urging interested parties and stakeholders to submit their opinions and suggestions on the program during the public comment period, in order for the program to become as well-respected and robust as it can be.
"In a time when budgets are tight, the Department of Education is encouraging schools to engage in a creative win-win scenario - cutting expenses while using the school facilities as dynamic learning labs for students," said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation. "This federal initiative supports the work of the National Wildlife Federation, which has helped more than 4,000 schools go green over the last 15 years."
As part of the program, the Department aims to share best practices regarding cost-effective, healthy and sustainable learning spaces among Federal agencies, state and local government and the general public.
Jim Elder, director of the Campaign for Environmental Literacy, said: "today's announcement of the draft criteria for the Department's Green Ribbon Schools program is an important step towards the full launch of this groundbreaking program, which we hope will occur later in September. We applaud the U.S. Department of Education for taking this leadership role in the green school movement, and putting its weight behind a comprehensive vision for green schools, a vision that is thoughtfully reflected in their proposed three green school 'pillars.' The Department is appropriately setting a high bar for schools to aim for, one that reflects the reality of the 21st century and urges schools to keep doing more in their quest to become a green school."
Green Ribbon Schools is the first comprehensive and coordinated federal initiative to focus on the intersection of environment, health and education. Unlike other environment-focused programs in the Federal arena, the award acknowledges the work of schools that have reached the highest levels of achievement.
"The Green Ribbon Schools award represents a watershed moment in the green schools movement," said Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council. "The Department of Education, in conjunction with the White House Council on Environmental Quality and the Environmental Protection Agency, has taken great strides through the development of this important initiative. The public comment will make this award the absolute best it can be. USGBC is tremendously excited about the potential of Green Ribbon Schools to advance the vision of green schools for everyone within this generation."
"The Green Ribbon Schools program represents an incredible milestone for the health and sustainability of our nation's schools, and we applaud the Department of Education's visionary leadership in building one of the foundations of the green economy," said Kathleen Rogers, president of Earth Day Network. "We look forward to the announcement of the first winners of the Green Ribbon Schools program on Earth Day 2012."
For more information on the program, or to submit your comments, please visit http://www.ed.gov.
About Campaign for Environmental Literacy
The Campaign for Environmental Literacy (CEL) is a network of national education and environmental organizations that work to engage the federal government in helping to close the nation's growing environmental literacy gap. CEL has led successful efforts with its lead partners (National Wildlife Federation, Second Nature, Earth Day Network, and U.S. Green Building Council) to restore and grow environmental education funding; authorize the University Sustainability Program at the Department of Education; and introduce the Ocean, Coastal, and Watershed Education Act and the No Child Left Inside Act.
About Earth Day Network
Growing out of the first Earth Day in 1970, Earth Day Network mobilizes over one billion people worldwide year-round with over 25,000 partners in 192 countries to broaden, diversify and mobilize the environmental movement, through advocacy, education, public policy and consumer campaigns. More than one billion people now participate in Earth Day activities each year, making it the largest civic observance in the world.
About National Wildlife Federation
The National Wildlife Federation (NWF) is America's largest conservation organization, inspiring Americans to protect wildlife for our children's future. Over the past 15 years, NWF education programs have helped over 4,000 schools to become greener through NWF's Certified Schoolyard Habitats program and Eco-Schools USA. NWF is the sole U.S. host for the international Eco-Schools program, the largest green school program globally, that is now in 51 nations, reaching 38,000 K-12 schools and over 11 million students. NWF's Eco-Schools USA program launched in November 2009 and is one of America's largest green school programs, currently reaching over 480 schools in 42 states, in an effort to green school buildings, grounds, curricula, and student experiences.
About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future for our nation through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. With a community comprising 79 local affiliates, nearly 16,000 member organizations, and more than 167,000 LEED Professional Credential holders, USGBC is the driving force of an industry that is projected to contribute $554 billion to the U.S. GDP from 2009-2013. USGBC leads an unlikely diverse constituency of builders and environmentalists, corporations and nonprofit organizations, elected officials and concerned citizens, and teachers and students. For more information, visit www.usgbc.org, on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.