Alternet has come out with a nifty piece commending 10 schools around the US as being particularily commendable for green practices. The criteria are especially interesting and are so thorough that I thought it would be worth it to quote them all right here and on the next page:
A. Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Green Building standards:
1. Sustainable Siting -- site selection, alternative transportation, stormwater management, urban redevelopment
2. Water Efficiency -- water efficient landscaping, water use reduction, innovative waste water use
3. Energy & Atmosphere -- CFC reductions, renewable energy, reduced energy consumption, green power, reducing ozone
4. Materials and Resources -- building and resource reuse, local materials, recycled content, certified wood
5. Indoor Environmental Quality -- indoor air quality, CO2, ventilation, low-volatile organic compound (VOC) materials, thermal comfort, daylighting
6. Innovation in Design
B. Healthy School Lunches: Does the school serve organic and/or locally-grown food for school lunches?
C. School-wide Green Initiatives: Does the school have a recycling program, carpool incentives, or any other initiatives that show that the school is taking action to be pro-environment?
D. Green Education: Is there an environmental curriculum?
E. School Procurement Policies: Does the school use recycled paper, organic cotton for sports uniforms, low-energy computers or other green products?
F. Contaminants:
1. Does it use integrated pest management (non-toxic methods to deprive bugs of food, water and entry) to avoid exposing children to dangerous pesticides?
2. Does it have wooden playground equipment treated with arsenic?
3. Does it use "green" cleaning materials, such as cleansers that do not release hazardous chemicals?
4. Has the school checked for lead paint problems or high lead levels in water?
G. School Green Spaces:
1. Does the school have green spaces or gardens that students are part of, and do the students participate in greening their school?
2. Does its landscaping including native plants (which also reduce the need for pesticides)?
And the schools themselves? Click on to Alternet to read the list.
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