Greetings!
In September, Project Green Schools Founder and Executive Director, Robin Buchanan, was honored to attend the opening of the Bridges House native pollinator garden with the First Lady of New Hampshire, friend of Project Green Schools, Valerie Sununu, Governor Sununu, and environmental educators from across the granite state of New Hampshire!
Our Youth Council Co-Presidents Have Been Chosen as Youth Delegates for COY17
Congratulations to our National Youth Council Co-Presidents, Maanit and Yixin! Maanit and Yixen have been selected as Youth Delegates for the 17th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY17) in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt.
Meet Project Green Schools' National Youth Council Officers
Project Green Schools' National Youth Council is excited for another school year together to collaborate and inspire each other and youth across the country!

National Youth Council students are difference-makers who are invited to participate in important regional, national and world events. All students who are in grades 5-12 are eligible to take part in National Youth Council meetings. Learn more about joining National Youth Council here.

Meet Claire, our National Youth Council Vice President, and Imran, our National Youth Council Secretary.

Claire is a senior at Central High School in Springfield, Missouri. This is her first year on the Project Green Schools National Youth Council and she's excited to take on the role of Vice President. Claire discovered Project Green Schools in her sophomore year of high school and started a chapter at her school, where she developed her love for the environment and helped others embrace their passion as president. In her two years at Central, they raised nearly $1000 to purchase air quality monitors... Red more. 

Imran is a junior from Syosset, New York. This will be his second year with the National Youth Council, and he's super excited to be on the leadership team. As a member of Project Green Schools, Imran has been able to grow his passion for environmental activism and he's had many opportunities to be an environmentalist in his own community... Read more.

Meet the rest of our 2022 - 2023 Student Leadership team here!
Meet Project Green Schools' New Director of Membership & Programs
Project Green Schools is excited to welcome our new Director of Membership & Programs, Kimberly White!

Kimberly is a passionate environmentalist with a history of working with business sustainability, environmental NGOs, and media. She received her Bachelor of Science in Environmental Management at the University of Florida; Master of Science in Sustainable Development from SOAS University of London; and is currently working toward her Ph.D. in Human Rights at the University of London. In 2019, Kimberly founded The Planetary Press, an independent online news source focused on reporting in sustainability, environmental advocacy, CSR, climate change, and the nexus of human rights and the environment.

Kimberly first joined PGS as an Advisory Board Member in October 2018 and is now stepping out of her advisory role to oversee Project Green Schools membership and its programs, including the National Green Schools Society, Race for the Planet, and the Green Difference Awards.
Support PGS: Please Consider Giving to Our Campaign
For my birthday, please do me the honor of making a donation to Project Green Schools. I sit on the Board of Directors of this fantastic organization and support it with my time, effort and money because it serves my passions for the environment, STEAM education, and building future leaders.

PGS engages K-12 students - over 500,000 students in over 6,500 schools across the US and 60 countries around the globe - in environmental education, project-based learning, community service, and extraordinary opportunities such as: student conversations with government, industry and celebrity leaders; leadership events at the White House; student presentations at the United Nations (such as at Climate Week in NYC and at COP21 in Paris); and more.

COVID-19 has decimated PGS funds. Our organization offers programs to students at no cost, funded through donations and grants for programs that are largely operated in-person at schools and at events around the globe where school children travel and gather. Most of these events that are tied to our fundraising were not able to take place. Throughout the pandemic, we continued to provide our free educational resources and run our key leadership program (National Youth Council), and our signature service and recognition programs (Green Schools Society and the Green Difference Awards) virtually. However, the sponsorships and grant money that is generally tied to in-person events dried up.

As students return to school, PGS is returning to its full cadre of in-person programs. To support this work, and we are now embarking on a giving campaign to enable the continued delivery of all programs and requires an injection of funds for operating capital.

Please join me in making a gift to PGS to make this happen! All gifts, of any size, help us make it all happen.

Thank you for this meaningful and impactful birthday gift,
Stacy Goodman
President of the Board of Directors
Project Green Schools
Donations can also be made directly on our website, click here for more information
Register to Host a Planet Aid Clothing Drive
Project Green Schools is excited to partner with Planet Aid in order to help schools and communities work together with a unified goal of recycling 25,000 lbs of clothing and shoes.

The Earth’s resources are finite and we all need to do our part for the well-being of current and future generations. Your clothing drive will support Planet Aid’s mission to protect the environment, reduce waste, and increase the efficient use of precious resources.

Both Planet Aid and Project Green Schools will support you with everything that you need to organize and promote your drive. Click to register to host a drive this school year. Clothing drives are open to U.S. based schools and organizations that fall within Planet Aid’s region. See webpage for regions.
Project Green Schools' Green Schools Society for 2022 - 2023
Green Schools Society is a student recognition program that brings honor to environmentally focused students achieving extraordinary impact in schools and communities. K -12 students, nationally and internationally, are awarded pins and certificates for recognition of their hours of service throughout the school year. Graduating seniors can achieve an NGSS/IGSS graduation honor stole for their four years of culminating service.

Green Schools Society is flexible program that can be part of an existing club, help start a new club, be a part of your classroom or an individual student. We offer a handbook, project ideas, sample induction and end of year ceremony scripts, membership guidelines and more if the group would like to use them, but they are not mandatory.

Learn more about Green Schools Society and sign up for FREE here.

Already a member of Green Schools Society? No need to reapply each year, you are in our system and good to continue your amazing work!
Register for AASHE’s #GCSHE!
Join us on Oct. 18, Oct. 26 and Nov. 3 at AASHE’s Global Conference on Sustainability in Higher Education (#GCSHE) to explore the theme, “The Urgency of Now,” and take part in the clarion call for transformative sustainability solutions that match the speed and scale of the challenges we face. Register using our discount code, PGS-GCSHE, to save $50 off a full conference pass.
Apply to Your State to Become a 2023 U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon School!
Launched in 2011, the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools is a recognition award that honors public and private schools ranging from elementary, middle, and high schools to districts and postsecondary institutions. The Green Ribbon program honors schools and districts that are demonstrating leadership in three Pillars: 1) reducing environmental impact and costs; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.

COP27: Youth & Future Generations Day
This year's UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) is taking place in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt, from November 6th to November 18th.

The COP27 Presidency has announced that November 10th will be dedicated to engaging youth and ensuring their voices are heard and are reflected across the conference's climate agenda. 

Highlights: 
  • The Opening Ceremony will bring together high-level policymakers and youth representatives of the Conference of Youth (COY17). The youth representatives will present the Global Youth Statement and detail the key policy asks to drive climate ambition and work towards climate justice. 
  • Intergenerational Policy Dialogues on the topics of climate adaptation and mitigation, building climate resilience, loss and damage, and a just transition. 
  • Children and Adolescent-led Action for Climate Change: this session will explore how climate change impacts youth, including health, education, and eco-anxiety. 
  • Young Africa: The Vehicle of Climate Action: Stories from Egypt and the rest of the continent

More information and the full program can be found here: https://cop27.eg/#/
17th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY17)
The 17th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY17) is set to take place prior to this year's UN Climate Change Conference (COP27) in Sharm el Sheikh, Egypt. COY17 will occur from November 2nd to November 4th.

COY17 is organized by YOUNGO, the Children and Youth constituency to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. Organized by youth and for youth around the globe, the COY conferences provide a space for young people around the world to raise their demands as well as amplify youth voices during UN Climate Change negotiations.

A Global Youth Statement, an official policy document of COY17, will be handed to COP27 policymakers to ensure youth voices are taken into account during decision-making processes. This year's statement is centered around climate justice.

More information will be available in the coming weeks. Watch this space for the latest updates: https://coy17eg.com/
K12 Climate Action Plan
This Is Planet Ed's recent K12 Climate Action Plan outlines the needs and opportunities for the education sector to take action on climate change and advance climate solutions. The K12 Climate Action Commission met with a myriad of students, parents, caregivers, educators, school leaders, and researchers to learn more about how they have taken climate action in schools. These stories helped to inform the action plan, which details various opportunities to reduce the education sector's environmental footprint, support climate education, build climate resilience, and promote sustainability.

The plan outlines policy recommendations for the federal, state, and local governments to catalyze and scale climate action in the education sector.

Learn more at This Is Planet Ed:
Revitalize Your School's Recycling Program with the Carton Council!
More than four billion milk and beverage cartons are consumed in schools each year, with the average U.S. school consuming roughly 75,000 cartons per year. Our friends at the Carton Council have created a host of resources to help schools recycle their beverage cartons, with helpful guides to starting a program as well as best practices for recycling. Learn more: https://www.cartonopportunities.org/schools

Carton Council's 6 Ways to Reenergize Your School's Recycling Program: 

  • Keep your green game strong! Designate new students and staff members as champions to spearhead your school's recycling efforts. It's most effective to have champions from different levels of engagement so the program can continue even if someone graduates or leaves their position.
  • Use Carton Council's School Carton Recycling Resources. Take advantage of Carton Council's many free school resources, including best practice guides, customizable printable flyers, and classroom activity sheets.
  • Engage your school. Incorporate recycling into lesson plans so everyone feels invested in the process. Launch a waste audit so students see how much waste is generated. Plan a field trip to a local materials recovery facility to see firsthand how cartons are recycled. Consider incentives and prizes like a zero-waste week or waste diversion contests between classrooms.
  • Repetition is key. Educate at the beginning of the school year, after winter break, and again after spring break through school pep rallies and events. Keep recycling fresh in everyone's mind, especially new students and staff who may not be as familiar with your school's recycling program.
  • Apply for an equipment grant After some time, it's normal for your recycling stations to experience some wear and tear. Carton Council offers up to $5,000 in equipment grants to help buy buckets, mesh bags, and recycling containers. Contact info@recyclecartons.com for more information on grants.
  • Share with the community. Foster support from the community and parents by promoting your recycling program through social media, newsletters, and through your school or district's website.
Calendar of Events/Days to Celebrate

October
  • 1st Week: Junk Mail Awareness Week
  • 1st: World Vegetarian Day
  • 4th: World Animal Day
  • 8th: Hydrogen Fuel Cell Day
  • 17th: International Day for the Eradication of Poverty
  • 24th: Environmental Business Council's Environmental, Energy, and Engineering Career Fair

November
  • 1st: World Vegan Day
  • 2nd through 4th: 17th UN Climate Change Conference of Youth (COY17)
  • 5th: World Tsunami Awareness Day
  • 6th through 18th: UN Climate Change Conference (COP27)
  • 15th: America Recycles Day

December
  • 21st/22nd: Winter Solstice
Project Green Schools |3 Village Green North #311 PMB 191, Plymouth, MA 02360 | info@projectgreenschools.org www.projectgreenschools.org