National Green Ribbon Schools

Last Tuesday, the Department of Education, in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency and the Council for Environmental Quality, announced its intentions to create a Green Ribbon Schools program. Modeled after the Blue Ribbon Schools program which recognizes academic distinction, the Green Ribbon Schools program will be a voluntary award, recognizing schools that are demonstrating excellence – or making notable improvement – toward sustainability. Though still in development, the program will evaluate schools across four categories: environmental education; energy efficiency and resource conservation; healthy operations and maintenance; and community engagement and service learning.