Skip to main content
Add as a preferred source on Google

The Green Squad

  • 04/01/11
The Green Squad is a project of NRDC, the Natural Resources Defense Council, a national environmental group with more than 500,000 members, and the Healthy Schools Network, an organization that works to protect children's environmental health in schools.

The Green Squad teaches kids about the relationship between their schools and environmental and health issues. The site is designed primarily for students in fifth through eighth grade, but also offers information for younger and older students as well as parents and teachers.

The project was made possible through the support of Citigroup Foundation and The F. A. O. Schwarz Family Foundation and was designed and developed by Sullivan & Co.

The site includes downloadable information and lists to help them make their school healthier, safer and more environmentally friendly by studying what the school uses and how its practices affect the environment both in and around the school, the community and even the rest of the world.

The site also provides a progress report form for listing possible areas for improvement and fact sheets that contain information for staff and administration. Suggestions include turning equipment off when it's not being used, turning off computer monitors, using the sun's energy to help keep the heat down and reduce the need for lights, regulating window usage, monitoring temperatures in different areas of the school and more. All of this information is presented with educational background to make the process a learning experience.
The Green Squad is a great way to get students involved, teach them sustainable practices and help them learn about the environment and find out what a healthy school is all about.

More information is available at Natural Resources Defense Council and from the Healthy Schools Network.

Featured

  • University of Oklahoma Announces New Campus Master Plan

    The University of Oklahoma in Norman, Okla., recently announced that it will soon launch a new, comprehensive Campus Master Plan to guide the campus’ physical development during the next decade, according to a news release.

  • Surging Demand for Student Housing Fuels Major Campus Investment Opportunities

    University leaders throughout the U.S. are accelerating plans to modernize and expand student housing as enrollment stabilizes and demand for on-campus living rebounds. Recent data from the National Center for Education Statistics indicates that total postsecondary enrollment is projected to grow through the end of the decade, with undergraduate enrollment alone expected to increase by more than 8 percent by 2030.

  • From Approval to Opening: Inside Travis Unified School District’s Fast Tracked Campus Expansion

    The Travis Unified School District (TUSD) in northern California includes several elementary and high schools serving over 5,400 students. In 2024, the TUSD Board approved the addition of sixth grade to the Golden West Middle School campus for the 2025–26 school year, setting in motion an accelerated effort to bring new facilities online in less than a year.

  • Rhode Island Boarding School Completes Student Dorm Renovations

    St. George’s School in Middletown, R.I., recently announced the completion of a $26-million renovation project on Arden-Diman-Eccles Dormitory, according to a news release. The school partnered with Voith & Mactavish Architects (VMA) on the new space, which places a new focus on collaborative community spaces open to both boarding students and day students.