Green Schools Poster

Select areas or rooms in the poster or use the list of locations on the left to surf the school in search of tips. Hold cursor over rooms or outdoor locations to learn more.

How green is your school? Do you make a special effort on a daily basis to conserve energy, paper and water? Adopting “green” practices often lowers costs to run and keep your school cleaner and can reduce exposure to hazardous materials. Schools across the United States, including Wisconsin, are recognizing the benefits of incorporating green habits for their buildings and grounds.

Green practices can serve as a model for classrooms, homes and communities. Students can learn concepts such as energy, recycling and natural sciences by turning off lights, conducting classroom energy audits, saving paper to reuse the blank side, composting food waste, studying the natural environment right outside the door and more.

While installing low-flow faucets and energy efficient heating and cooling systems may cost a little more initially, they save schools much money over time. According to Alliant Energy, a geothermal system can reduce heating bills up to 50 percent and cooling bills up to 30 percent. Many schools also have saved significantly through simple low-cost behavioral changes. One school district in California saved more than $200,000 over four years by reducing its waste stream by 65 percent.

Green building is another great way to reduce environmental impacts. If you’re building a new school, consider green building practices. Think “green” when addressing five areas: siting, energy conservation, building materials, indoor air and environmental quality, and water conservation.

Through the Wisconsin Green Schools Program, your school can start on the path to environmental sustainability. By completing the comprehensive Green Schools Environmental Audit, students and staff can discover what environmental practices their school has already implemented and uncover areas for improvement. Students and staff can then work together to determine how to increase the school’s environmental performance, enhance its curriculum and provide better community service. By identifying and implementing new environmental practices, your school can be a Green School.

To find out more about the Wisconsin Green Schools Program visit our website and use this poster to learn more about what you can do at your school.

Last Revised: Tuesday July 25 2006