School Resources
Greening Your School - Checklist for getting started
EPA Green Schools Checklist – Environmental Actions for Schools to Consider
Planning Guides
Go Green Initiatives’ “Planning Guide for School-Site Go Green Teams” (PDF)
PG&E Going Green – Planning Outline (MS Word)
PG&E’s “Guidelines for Developing an Energy Plan for California Public Schools”(PDF – 39 Pages)
Organizations That Can Help
Go Green Initiative – Comprehensive environmental program for K-12 schools helping them set up their mission, vision and action plan. Jill Buck 925 487-0777
Green Schools Initiative – Has lots of information on how to green your school, including a 7 step process. Based in Berkeley.
Cool the Earth – Provides a well-designed, easy to implement environmental program for grades K-8. Requires principal approval, a team of parent volunteers and a requested donation. The materials are excellent.
EarthTeam – Educates high school students on environmental issues for environmental change agents and uses internet communication tools. This is an excellent networking resource with other organizations. Contact (510)704-4030
Central Contra Costa Solid Waste Authority – Has an active program to help schools practice the four R’s – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, and Rot. The CCCSWA has created waste reduction and recycling programs to help decrease waste in the 46 eligible schools within its service area.
PG&E School Resource Program – The SRP was created to help K-12 school districts save energy and money and to improve the physical quality of the learning environment. By providing energy audits, technical assistance with retrofit plans, information about financing methods, staff training and educational programs, the School Resource Program helps schools identify many ways to save energy and free up money for what schools do best — educating students. Adriane Gardner is the PG&E account representative assigned to all of the school districts in our area.
Assessing Opportunities (Various Kinds of School Audits)
PG&E – CD available that contains high school Energy Audits that have been collected from several sources. A PG&E representative could come to your school and do a walk through with the student and the custodian to identify some energy savings opportunities. Contact: Pam Murray, pmw2@pge.com or 415 9072-5416.
California Dept. of Energy Bright Schools Program – Offers services, such as energy audits, to help school’s find ways for you to become more energy wise.
EBMUD – Can provide audits to find water saving opportunities
For Educators
PG&E’s Online Energy Resources for Educators: Contains an incredible set of links to other sites. Many of the sites identified by PG&E deserve their own direct link, but this is a way to give people access to the links without spending too much time on our side and/or cluttering up our own site.
PG&E Energenius Program – Offers teachers of grades K-8 free curriculum guides, student activity books and supporting materials to teach kids about energy, energy efficiency, and the environment. “Menu of Programs for Teachers and Their Students,” as well as the fundraising opportunity they offer to schools using CFLs. We like their Energy Patrol program, and had trouble finding this info on the PG&E website.
PG&E Solar Schools Program – Offers teachers free solar energy-based curriculum training packages and workshops for teachers, free classroom materials for students, opportunities for donations of solar installations, information on grants to fund local green or sustainable solar energy-related projects (including gardens), and teacher training.
PEAK – Offers a standards-based program that empowers students to use energy wisely in their homes, schools, and communities. PEAK offers the following resources at NO COST: a curriculum guidebook correlated to 3rd-7th grade standards across disciplines; professional development for teachers; a toolkit of supplies for PEAK’s hands-on science labs (worth over $350!); and ongoing support in the form of assemblies and classroom assistance!
For Kids
NRDC – The Green Squad – Kids taking action for greener, healthier schools
Earth911 – For Students – Contains games, activities and info on recycling and reuse
EPA – Environmental Kids Club – Interactive games, projects, art, etc. Geared to grades K-4.
EPA – Student Center – Tips and activities for students in grades 5-8
EPA – High School Environmental Center
EPA ClimateChange For Kids – Interactive games, links, etc. regarding climate change and how kids can make a difference
Paper, Plastic & More: Kids Guide to Recycling and Conservation - list of kid’s sites and learning materials regarding waste reduction
For Custodians
PG&E “Facts & Tips for Custodians” (PDF)
Reducing School Lunch Waste
wastefreelunches.org – Provides information for students, parents, and school staff on how to reduce lunch and snack waste.
Getting To/From School
International Walk to School – join kids and families around the globe to walk and bicycle to school in October.
SafeRoutes – Safe Routes to School programs enable community leaders, schools and parents across the United States to improve safety and encourage more children to safely walk and bicycle to school.
