GreenNotes
MAY2015  
From our Executive Director

How to spend your summer vacation

 

As we race to the end of another academic year, many people not familiar with how highly functioning schools work imagine that teachers and administrators soon will be skipping out of the building for a three-month vacation.

Those of us who know well the hard work needed to create learning environments that impact children and families know better. In fact, we understand that much of what makes a school year successful happens during the summer months.
ALSO IN THIS ISSUE

Why didn't anyone think of this sooner? New York City schools are eliminating Styrofoam lunch trays in favor of compostable trays for school lunch. A great idea that will have a greater impact.


Heather Coey, an elementary school teacher in British Columbia, is using a pilot recycling program to reduce the school's environmental footprint. Coey hopes to inspire a lifestyle change both in her students and the greater community through her various green initiatives.

Learn about a school district with a winning combination of energy efficiency, cost savings and reduced carbon footprint. Jim Koch of the Indian River School District in upstate New York challenges other schools to consider the U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Challenge.  The result for his school district? Energy savings and a new way of thinking when it comes to powering the physical plant.

We understand that not everyone could join us at the 5th annual Green Schools National Conference, but you can still benefit from the conference via audio clips of GSNC keynote speakers (in addition to our youtube channel ). Inspiring, motivating and informative, our speakers got us pumped up and seeing green. 
The next best thing to being there!

The results are in, and we're happy to share evaluations of the 5th annual Green Schools National Conference. Did we get a thumb's up or down? Do you like us, really like us?

Shopping for books? School supplies? Now, your shopping can directly support GSNN's work with and for green schools! AmazonSmile is a simple and automatic way for you to support Green Schools National Network every time you shop, at no cost to you. Simply visit  AmazonSmile, select Green Schools National Network as your non-profit of choice, and each time you shop, Amazon will automatically donate .5% of your purchase to GSNN. 
Amazon will remember your selection so that every eligible purchase you make will result in a donation to GSNN.