Looking for Programs that assist Schools to become more Sustainable

Here in Washington State we've been piloting our Washington Green Schools program www.wagreenschools.org. This program will be available to all K-12 schools in our state in the fall. When developing this program we used resources and got ideas from a number of other green schools programs. The link below has a long list of other existing green school programs, some of which are international programs.

www.wagreenschools.org/359/other-green-schools-programs.html

Hope this helps!

Amber Smith
Thurston County
United States

There are a large number in the UK, from national schemes through to very local ones, and of course ones that are generated on a school-by-school level by passionate teachers. You will be literally swamped by how much there is out there.

On a wider & higher level have a look at http://www.eco-schools.org.uk/
For transport look at http://www.staccreditation.org.uk/index.php
Charity Global Action Plan www.globalactionplan.org.uk run a number of programmes.

In the states the Centre for Ecoliteracy is a good place to start.

CERES in Melbourne runs a number of projects as well, collingwood college has a very successful school garden.

the list will be endless!

Rgds,

A

Alexis Anderson
London Borough of Richmond
United Kingdom

There is a program in Saskatchewan, Canada that has been quite effective in raising awareness of environmental issues, reducing the footprint of the school, and engaging all members of the school community (students, faculty, and parents). It is called 'Destination Conservation' and you can visit the Saskatchewan Environmental Society's website to find out more.
http://www.environmentalsociety.ca/issues/energy/dc.html

Good luck!

Jonathan Henderson
Cameco Corporation
Canada

Useful resources on reconnecting younger students and children generally to the ecological roots of sustainable living can be found at the Children & Nature Network http://www.childrenandnature.org/ I can also recommend Richard Louv's book, 'Last Child in the Woods' http://richardlouv.com/ for perspectives on the social and institutional barriers to reconnecting children with nature through education systems. I would also highly recommend for tertiary - post graduate students the work of Professor Frank Fisher, on the social construction of sustainability,including his great book 'Respons-ability' http://203.171.84.225:8080/traction/permalink/Website41.

Regards, Keith.

Keith Davis
Environment & Sustainability Co-ordinator
Moyne Shire
Australia
www.moyne.vic.gov.au

A couple of programs closer to home:

Australian Sustainable School Initiative (AuSSI) http://www.environment.gov.au/education/aussi/

Victorian resources for AuSSI are being developed by the Victorian Association for Environmental Education and project partners: CERES Environnmental Park (in Brunswick, well worth a visit!), NCS Swinburne and La Trobe University. Three linked resources and training packages that will build capacity of environmental sustainability educators and teachers to facilitate AuSSI, Vic. http://www.vaee.vic.edu.au/index.html

Also, Stephanie Alexander's kitchen garden foundation at this website: http://www.kitchengardenfoundation.org.au/. Growing, cooking and eating good food is a great conversation-starter for lots of issues to do with living sustainably.

Good luck!

Mikaela Power
Stakeholder Engagement Coordinator
West Gippsland Catchment Management Authority
Australia

Hi Emma,

Try http://www.resourcesmart.vic.gov.au/for_educators/why_act.html for a range of information on private and govt programs around.

Hope this helps, Leanne

Leanne Boothroyd
Australia

Check out http://www.greenhearted.org (GreenHeart Education) for all sorts of ideas for transformative sustainability education as well as school greening (curriculum, facilities, and organizational behaviour).

Julie Johnston
Pender Island, BC, Canada

Julie Johnston

The Sierra Youth Coalition has adapted their university and college 'sustainable campus' program to high schools. It is a comprehensive sustainability program and is being used at high schools in Canada. For more information see:
http://syc-cjs.org/tiki-index.php?page=SHS%20-%20Sustainable%20High%20Schools and http://www.sierraclub.bc.ca/education/ed_schools/middle-secondary

For information about the tertiary program see:
http://syc-cjs.org/sustainable/tiki-index.php?page=The+Sustainable+Campus+Concept

Amelia Clarke
Canada

Ontario EcoSchools

In Ontario, Canada, there is an EcoSchools program including a bronze - gold certification - http://ontarioecoschools.org/index.html

Kate Hayes
Savanta Inc.
Canada

Hi Emma

The following website has some very simple pointers listed to provided teachers to make their classroom a greener place.
www.cleanlife.com.au
subject: naturally green classrooms.

Best of luck!

Fiona



Fiona Galloway
Marine and Coastal Reserves Officer
Department of Environment and Conservation

The Toronto District School Board has a comprehensive EcoSchools program. Our resources can be downloaded at www.ecoschools.ca.

Steve Bibla
Instructional Leader
TDSB EcoSchools

Steve Bibla
Toronto District School Board
Canada

Hi Emma,

Here is a link to the Queensland Environmentally Sustainable Schools Initiative (QESSI) which is based capacity building of service providers.
http://education.qld.gov.au/schools/environment/outdoor/aboutqessi.html

Sharon Marks
Community Education Officer
SEQ Healthy Waterways Partnership
Australia
www.healthywaterways.org

Hi Emma

There should be some information on the Sustainability Victoria website.

http://www.sustainability.vic.gov.au/www/html/1517-home-page.asp

sarah arblaster