How green is your school?

As part of our Earth Month 30 Grants in 30 Days program we were fortunate enough to award some of our money to some Virginia schools for some really cool green initiatives.  It got us to thinking:  How Green is your school?

The easiest list to compare is from the Princeton Review.  Virginia has 10 colleges that are part of their Green rankings!  The University of Virginia, Radford, VCU and Virginia Tech all made the list but so did William and Mary, George Mason, and Virginia Wesleyan!

William and Mary has reduced greenhouse gas emissions 16 % since 2002.  Their dining service spends 42 % of their food budget on local products.  The University of Virginia recycles electronics and diverts 57 % of its waste from landfills.  They collect building condensation water for irrigation.  Way to go Cavs!

George Mason has a formal policy that protects campus woodlands, wetlands and waterways.  Virginia Commonwealth has steam trap systems, trayless dining facilities, and a car-sharing program.

It’s easy to look at these things and think about tuition and endowments and say, “Well, they have a lot of money for these big initiatives” but a little school can still make a huge difference.

Does your school have a garden?  What’s the coach using to keep the field green?  It would be simple to start a recycling program in the cafeteria or encourage your teacher to institute a “No Paper Day”.

Although many are ending their school year we have an entire summer to plan.  Keep your thinking caps on and look forward to Fall!  We have rain barrels to install, light bulbs to LEED and September gardens to start!

With apologies to The Beach Boys, “Be Green To Your School”!