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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.

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