Schools Going Green

The color that is mostly talked about now is green. This color symbolizes several different elements such as money and recycling. The element that has blossomed in the 20th century is recycling. Going green is the term coined for extensive recycling and having elaborate conservation programs. Going green means to rely more on natural resources and have conservation and recycling programs to increase momentum in the movement. Some schools across America are turning the page and becoming green as well.

Green schools are built to depend on extensive conservation and recycling programs as well as natural resources for energy. It may seem like building or even maintaining a green school would be significantly expensive. However, researchers have found that schools who switch to the 'green light' are saving their schools districts thousands of dollars each year. The savings come in with time, the longer the schools maintain green practices they will keep saving precious revenue.

The rise of green schools across the U.S. is what everyone is talking about. States and school districts are searching fr more environmentally friendly and energy-saving building designs. Green schools get their name from both their design and practice. They focus on maximizing the usage of natural resources such as the sun. The sun gives off tons of energy, and with the right tools such as the building, special blinds, and other such items, classrooms can receive their energy from the sun. Green schools also get their name from having extensive school wide programs such as recycling.

The process of a school becoming a green schools is not as strenuous as some may think. "Schools can earn an official green designation from the U.S. Green Building Council. Schools and other buildings that meet certain criteria can receive a rating in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)" (Delisio, 1). Meeting and maintaining their seal should be the easy part. With school-wide participation, students and school staff will be able to reap the benefits of living in a cleaner and healthier environment. Also, they will be saving school districts money, which will go to other areas that need attention.

The savings that a green school has are countless. Designing a building that will maximize other natural resources such as sunlight can help to yield savings by fifty percent. Parts of the country that do not get as much sunlight can be apart of this as well. Schools need determination and the support of their local lawmakers as well as hard workers to see that their school can become a green school. Helping students live in an environment that practices recycling, reusing, and reducing will help to make them become greater members of society.

Delisio, Ellen R. "Green Schools Save the Environment, Money." EducationWorld. 12 Apr. 2010 http://www.educationworld.com/a_admin/admin/admin402.shtml .