Green Schools In South Dakota
Are you working to green a school in South Dakota? If so, maybe you
could take a minute and tell us a little about what you are doing. Are you
a student involved in a green club, a teacher bringing environmental issues into
the classroom or a parent in charge of the new recycling project? We would
love to hear from all of you.
Green schools are a pretty big deal these days. New schools are being built green and older schools are going green. Either way, hopefully you are involved in teaching sustainable living and energy conservation to our children. These lessons are so important.
Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is part of the U.S. Green Building Council and has an award system for qualifying green schools. The University of South Dakota has been working with LEED on several different projects. The School of Medicine Building is a LEED silver building and a new Wellness Center is being built, also LEED silver. Other LEED buildings in the works are the Muenster University Center, Slagle Auditorium Renovation and the new Business School.
The University of South Dakota has made large commitment to green buildings and an equally big commitment to teaching sustainable living throughout the campus. A couple of the policies adopted at the university are to purchase only Energy Star appliances and to establish a recycle program.
Many towns and states are making a commitment to green schools in South Dakota creating codes where all new constructed schools with meet LEED standards. These green schools are being built all over the states and the results are pouring in about improved health in the students and higher test scores. Energy savings are also being reported, some in excess of a hundred thousand a year.
Campaigns are also underway to turn existing schools green. The list of things that can be done is endless. Schools are setting up waste management stations in their cafeterias where waste goes here, compost goes here and recycle goes here. Then the students get to use the compost to green the grounds around the school. Bike racks and changing rooms are being improved to promote biking, walking or jogging to school, for both students and teachers. Solar panes are being added to schools and green clubs are going out into the community doing things like changing light bulbs and collecting items for recycle drives.
What are you doing to green a school in South Dakota. The more you talk about it the more help you will receive, the more people we can get involved.
Tell us about your green school.
A green school, club or activity you are proud of.
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