How Green Schools Save Money, Promote Health, and Improve Achievement

1. Inverness Associates
Triple Bottom Line
How Green Schools Save Money, Promote
Health, and Improve Achievement
CAIS Trustee Heads Conference
January 25, 2014
Paul Chapman, Inverness Associates
invernessassociates.org

2. Spaceship Earth
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3. The Challenges We Face
• Stabilize Population
• Eradicate Poverty
• Restore the
Environment
• Climate Action Plan
• The Great Mobilization
• There is No PLANet B!
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4. A Green Journey
• Discovering Nature
• Go West Young Man
• UHS and HRS
• Encore Career
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5. The Triple Bottom Line
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Green Schools…
• Save Money
• Boost Achievement
• Improve Health

6. How to Make Your
School Sustainable:
It’s Easy Being Green
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7. What Is a Green School?
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Environmental Mission
and Strategic Plan
The Five Foundations
1. Efficient Resources
2. Healthy Environment
3. Nutritious Food
4. Ecological Curriculum
5. Community Practice

8. Green Ribbon Schools
“Green
schools
and
environmental
literacy
in
fact
complement
the
goals
of
providing
a
well-­‐rounded
educa8on
for
the
21st
century,
of
modernizing
schools
at
reduced
costs,
and
of
accelera8ng
learning.”
Arne
Duncan,
U.S.
Secretary
of
Educa4on
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• U.S. Department of Education launches a
“comprehensive approach to greening schools” (2011)
• Three Pillars
– Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency
– Healthy School Environments
– Environmental and Sustainability Education

9. How to Green Your School
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• Clear Vision, Mission,
Goals, and Action Plan
• Strong Leadership: Top
Down, Bottom Up
• Teamwork: Green
Council & Green Teams
• Five Foundations
• Measure & Report
Progress

10. Alejo’s Story
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11. Team Green for Results
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• Love of Nature in Mission
• Green Council for Action
• Recycling & Trash Audit
• LEED Gold High School
• Certified Green Business
• Ecological Curriculum
• School Garden and Café
• Environmental Stewards

12. Renewable Energy Plan
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13. Environmental Stewards
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14. Mapping the Nation’s
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Green School
Movement

15. California Leading the Green Way
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16. Inverness Associates
National Green
Schools Survey
and Methodology
• What is the state of environmental education (EE)
in independent schools?
• Why do schools adopt EE programs and what
challenges do they face in that process?
• How do schools reduce their footprint, promote
healthy operations, incorporate EE in the
curriculum, offer healthy food, empower students?
• What do schools need in order to strengthen their
EE and sustainability programs?
• Background: 678 schools, 35% response rate
nationally, CAIS (93/211) = 44% response rate!

17. Executive Summary
• Interest in EES very high
• Environmental concern top motivator
• Organization around mission, policy, strategic
plan and green team
• Engaged faculty and students in the lead
• Some sustainability coordinators
• Many motivated volunteers
• Financial support modest
• Waste reduction, recycling, composting, energy
efficiency widely embraced
• School gardens and nutritious food very present
• Green building practices taking hold
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18. Interest in Green Very High
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19. Environmental Concern Motivates
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20. Green Initiatives Underway
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21. Green Resources and Operations
Major Focus for EES in Schools
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22. Food and Gardens Growing
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23. EES Success Varies
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24. Curriculum Starts to Integrate EES
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25. Informal EES Vital
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26. Challenges Facing Schools
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27. CAIS and National Trends
Green Element
CAIS
National
School garden integrated in program
79%
57% (22%)
Green purchasing policy
39%
22% (17%)
Financial Support > $25,000
33%
17% (15%)
Required organic and local food
57%
44% (13%)
Sustainable landscaping
59%
46% (13%)
Green Team
66%
54% (12%)
Board and Head Support
65%
55% (10%)
Parent Green Committee
20%
10% (10%)
Sustainability in mission
51%
42% (9%)
Green policies
57%
48% (9%)
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28. Meeting EES Needs
• More time, resources, commitment, leadership
• Coordination of efforts into an integrated whole
• Greater commitment to green initiatives at the
Board level
• More integration of environmental education
into the curriculum
• A concise curriculum that can be used in all
grade levels
• Improved faculty professional development
• Better use of outside resources
• Help from outside to put program in place
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29. Schools Going Green
Stories from the National Field
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30. Putney’s ZNE Field House
• LEED Platinum field house
• Saving $, ROI, life cycle cost analysis key
• First zero net energy high school in US
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31. Lawrenceville: Stewardship Ethic
• Liz Duffy’s Charrette
• Grid Neutral Goal
• 30 acre, 6.1 megawatt
solar array
• Savings estimated @
$400,000/year for 20
years, 95% of need
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32. Sidwell Friends’ Green Journey
• Systemic change: Board, Head & CFO
• The Journey to David Orr at Oberlin
• 1st LEED Platinum Middle School in US
• A Green Ribbon School, 2012
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33. St. Mark’s School Green Vision
“Respecting the needs of future generations, the St.
Mark’s School of Texas will provide leadership in
environmental sustainability and responsibility. The
School assigns significant priority to integrating
environmental awareness, understanding and
stewardship into its academic mission, campus
improvements, and operations.” Board of Trustees, 1/2010
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34. Athenian School Saves
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35. Prospect Sierra: Team Leadership
• From Pizza Day to the
Green Schools
Initiative
• Director of Innovation,
Partnership and
Service
• Facilities Manager
Steve Harrington’s
Solar Plan and
Campus Renovation
• Student Carrot Mob
for Environmental
Change
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36. MCDS Strategic Sustainbility
Change Leaders:
Adam Willner & Lucinda
Lee Katz
A Food Revolution:
Jason Hull
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37. Marlborough Leadership Lessons
“Marlborough School strives to become a
community where environmental
stewardship will be achieved through
awareness and action.”
Marlborough School Board of Trustees, 2006
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38. Midland School Shines
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39. Thacher School: Sustainability In
the Air We Breath
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40. Punahou’s Sustainability Plan
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• Sustainability Summit and
Challenge (2005)
• Physical Plant Director
Randy Overton: “The
Right Thing to Do”
• LEED: Case MS,
Omidyar K-1
Neighborhood
• Energy Star Portfolio
Manager, 42% more
efficient MS building
• Life-Cycle Cost Analysis:
Recoup $56M in 50 yrs.
in operating efficiency

41. Steps Your School
Can Take to Be Green
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42. The Board, Head & CFO:
The School’s Green Leaders
• Resources
– Energy Audit: Energy Star Portfolio Manager
– Building/Remodeling Green: LEED, CHPS
– Water Conservation: Artificial Turf & Heat
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Islands
• Operations
– The 4 Rs: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle and Rot
– The School’s Carbon Footprint and CO2 Plan
– Green Business Certification
– Green Purchasing Plans

43. Inverness Associates
Green Leaders II
• Food
– The Cafeteria: Local, Seasonal & Sustainable
– A School Garden Plan
– Farm to School Program and CSA Partnership
• The Curriculum
– Sustainability Director & Program Consulting
– 21st C. Skills: Thinking, Communication, Character
– Professional Development
• Student Leaders
– A Business Office Labor Force for Energy Audits
– Project-Based Learning
– Inspiring Environmental Stewards

44. Why Go Green?
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Triple Bottom Line
• Saves $
• Boosts Achievement
• Improves Health
And Helps the
Environment Too!