Bill Increases Energy Efficiency in Oregon's Schools

Bill 2960 is bringing energy efficiency upgrades to Oregon schools. The bill enabled school districts to apply for low cost financing to pay for energy efficiency upgrades in schools.

Utility bills are one of the largest expenses for most Oregon school districts and are growing about 10 percent every year. Upgrading older buildings improves efficiency, ventilation and lighting while riding schools of mold and asbestos.

Organizations and Groups in the USGBC's Center for Green Schools

The US Green Building Council's (USGBC) Center for Green Schools is dedicated to increasing the number of green schools. Here are some of their organizations, groups and initiatives.

Green School Buildings Offer Many Benefits

Green school construction offers many benefits including thousands of new jobs. Green schools use an average of 33% less energy and 32% less water than conventional schools. A 2006 study sponsored by the American Federation of Teachers, the American Institute of Architects, the American Lung Association, the Federation of American Scientists and USGBC found that building green would save an average school $100,000 each year in energy costs along – enough to hire two new additional full-time teachers, purchase 5,000 new textbooks, or buy 500 new computers.

USGBC's Center for Green Schools

The the U.S. Green Building Council's (USGBC) Center for Green Schools envisions green schools for everyone within this generation. To help achieve this objective the USGBC provides resources for green builders, school administrators, elected officials and community members.

The Campus Green Builder Online Portal

The Campus Green Builder (CGB) online portal provides information for academic institutions. this is a one-stop online resource on campus green building that is free and accessible to all higher education institutions. Though the information provided is relevant to all higher education institutions, the CGB is particularly geared towards under-resourced colleges and universities. It aims to level the playing field for all institutions of higher education to gain access to funding and technical resources for green building.

Fiske's Top 10 Colleges for Environmental Education

Here is a list of the top environmental colleges from the 2011 Fiske Guide to Colleges. This guide is published by former New York Times Education Editor Edward Fiske whose reviews include details on campus life and academics.

The Green Market's Green Schools Series

Each year since 2010 The Green Market Oracle has published an annual series of posts on various aspects of green schools. To see GMO's green school posts in 2016 click here. To see a comprehensive summary of green school information and resources (2010 - 2015) click here.  The following installment was the first and it was compiled over the course of late summer and early fall 2010. It includes detailed reports on sustainable academics and green school buildings.

Here are the 60 posts that comprise the 2010 edition:

Green Student Resources

Green Education Options
Environmental Toolkit
Green School Buildings

The Growth of Green Education

Green School Census
Green Memes and Schools
Green Schools are Bridging the Knowledge Gap
Sustainable Education is Key to Accessing the Green Economy
Green School Rejuvenates Dying Town
Green Buildings Combat Climate Change

Green Masters Degrees

Leading the Green Job Market with a Sustainable MBA
The University of Oregon's MBA and Green Chemistry
Marylhurst's MBA in Sustainable Business
MODUL University's Sustainable MSc

Green Doctorate Degrees

UBC`s PhD in Resource Management and Environmental Studies
Prescott College`s Ph.D in Sustainability
PhD in Innovation and Governance for Sustainable Development
Columbia University's PhD in Sustainable Development
Walden University's PhD in Sustainability Online Degree

Green Undergraduate Degrees and Classes

Commonground University's Online Environmental Classes
West Michigan's Green Academic Offerings
Ferrum College's Climate Research Opportunities
Arizona State University's Sustainable Business Curriculum
Arizona State University and Green Supply Chains
Penn State's Online B.A. in Energy and Sustainability Policy
IMD and WWF's Sustainable Business Program
WWF's One Planet Leaders Program
CleanEdison LEED Building and Design Courses
Ecovillages Environmental Study Program
The Green Business League Sustainability Officer Training

Greenest Schools

Sierra's Top 100 Cool Schools
The Princeton Review Green Colleges Honor Role 2010
America`s Greenest School Contest 2010

Primary and Secondary Schools

NYC Public School's Green Initiatives
LAUSD Green School Initiatives
Da Vinci Arts Middle School in Portland

Green Schools in China and Asia

China’s Green School Project
The University of Hong Kong's Sustainable Development
China Europe International Business School's Green Campus
Sustainable Education at South China Normal University
International Community Schools China on Green Buildings
Green School in India: Shoolini University
The Green School In Bali

Green School Buildings

Green School Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 1
Green School Buildings Health and Performance Benefits Part 2
Green School Buildings: The Many Benefits of Natural Lighting
Green School Buildings: The Many Benefits of Ventilation
The Future of Green School Buildings
Green Building Social Benefits
Green Building Environmental Benefits
Green Building Economic Benefits
The Implications of the Growth of Green Buildings
Top 10 Green Building Trends for 2010
CleanEdison Building and Design Courses
The Green Building Focus Conference and Expo
2010 Green Schools Summit Workshop & Conference
Environmental Revolution: Building and Operations
New York's Leed Certified Universities

Sustainability Officers

The Growth of Green School Sustainability Officers
AASHE Survey of Sustainability Positions in Higher Education
How to Become a Sustainability Officer

Related
GMO's Annual Green School Series Review of Posts in 2016
Comprehensive Green School Information and Resources 2010 - 2015