Department of Education Secretary Arne Duncan announced the plans for the Green Ribbon Schools Award program recently. This program will recognize schools for reducing environmental impact on their communities, promoting healthy school environments for their own students and staff, and offering high-quality environmental education.
According to the Department of Education, the award aims to encourage energy and resource conservation measures that can lead to cost savings and job creation; environmental and behavioral changes to promote health and productivity among students, staff and other occupants; and the use of environmental and sustainability education to support students’ preparedness for some of the nation’s fastest growing employment sectors.
Here is Secretary Duncan discussing the program in a video message:
I have always been adamant that educating our children to become responsible stewards of the environment is the key to real environmental change. I am so thrilled with this new program; this is exactly the type of positive spotlight we need for bringing environmental issues to front-of-mind for many Americans. I strongly encourage parents, teachers and students to talk to your school about participating in this program. You can visit GreenRibbonSchools.org to learn more about how you can get your school involved. You can also visit their Facebook page for the latest updates!
I think my friend, EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, puts it perfectly:
“With as much time as our children spend in school over the years, it makes sense for us to do everything we can to protect their health, encourage wellness, and make sure they are getting the most productivity out of their hours in the classroom. Green Ribbon Schools well help foster the changes needed to protect and support our students, teachers and school staff, and brighten their future in the process.”
