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 Kentucky Receives $150M Gift Toward New Arts District

    The University of Kentucky’s Board of Trustees recently received a $150-million gift from The Bill Gatton Foundation, according to a university news release, to build a new arts district on the campus in Lexington, Ky. The new district will feature a new College of Fine Arts building and a multi-hundred-seat theater, among other amenities.

  • Wisconsin District Breaks Ground on New Elementary School

    The School District of La Crosse in La Crosse, Wis., recently broke ground on a new elementary school that will consolidate the students and staff of two existing schools, according to local news. Funding for the school comes from a $53-million referendum approved in 2024.

  • LSU Breaks Ground on $200M Residential Project

    Louisiana State University in Baton Rouge, La., recently broke ground on a new residential complex, according to university news. The South Quad residential project will consist of two buildings and add a total of 1,266 beds for freshmen students. The development comes with a price tag of $200 million, and it’s scheduled to open to students in fall 2027.

  • How a Portable Sink Helped an Art Classroom Run More Smoothly

    Classroom design decisions can have outsized effects on instructional time and safety at schools juggling mismatched infrastructure, strict budgets, and crowded schedules — particularly in the arts. Between spilled paint and dirty brushes, art classes run smoother with a sink in the studio. But many schools don’t have a sink in every art classroom.