Learning how to “go green” should be part of any teaching curriculum which is why I hope that eco friendly schools will become a big part of the future.
In fact, the number of them are growing exponentially and have been for the past 10 years.
Not only do most of these schools incorporate green living into their teachings but the thing that makes them cool is that the buildings themselves are designed to be more eco friendly. Everything from using solar panels for energy to using less water. It’s a great way to help reduce the overall strain on the planet as well as show students how being green can be cool.
Eco friendly schools aren’t use a fad either. May communities are requiring that new school buildings are built greener and many new schools are leeds certified which means that they adhere to certain requirements.
Having a green school is perfect for younger kids because it helps them learn more about conserving resources. But it can also be pretty cool for college kids and there are some eco friendly colleges that stand out.
Arizona State University, for example, has the largest set of solar collection panels of any university campus in the US. Since 2007 this university has offered a School of Sustainability – the first of its kind in the states.
The College Of The Atlantic in Bar Harbor ME has been carbon neutral since 2007 with all of its power from renewable resources. And it should be no surprise since Human Ecology (the relation of humans and the environment) is their only major.
The University of Maine has a unique twist on eco friendly schools – it offers the use of bicycles to faculty, students and visitors so that they can reduce driving.
Virginia Tech is perhaps one of the greenest schools with 15 graduate majors and 17 undergrad majors in the areas of sustainability. They also have huge programs for green building, recycling and alternative transportation.
All this green school stuff is very cool now but it will be even cooler in the future when graduates of all these schools (our future leaders) are much more environmentally aware than the current generation.
