Twenty-nine organizations from around the world have come together to form the Global Coalition for Green Schools.
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council and the World Green Building Council announced in a news release the formation of the coalition at the Greenbuild International Conference and Expo in Philadelphia.
“As members of the Global Coalition for Green Schools, we are united in our common pursuit of healthy, safe, resource-efficient schools that educate sustainability natives,” says Rachel Gutter, director of the Center for Green Schools.
The Center says each of the 29 founding members has committed to establishing and leading a national coalition for green schools in its home nation. These national coalitions will bring together leaders in their country’s green schools movement including non-profits, corporations, community members, universities and government.
The coalitions will strive to promote a vision of green schools by sharing best practices, resources and case studies, providing tools and infrastructure, and introducing programs, initiatives and campaigns that can be replicated around the world.
"The Global Coalition for Green Schools is a unique forum to inspire national action that ensures our schools are healthy, safe and sustainable learning environments," says Jane Henley, CEO of the World Green Building Council.
The global coalition has identified three characteristics that define a green school: It must minimize environmental impact, optimize human health and performance, and foster a generation of environmentally literate students.
The coalition will demonstrate how to incorporate sustainability into infrastructure, culture and curriculum, and help build these values into the education system in innovative ways, the Center says.
The 29 green building councils (GBCs) that are initial members of the global coalition: Argentina GBC, GBC Australia, Botswana GBC, GBC Brasil, Canada GBC, Chile GBC, China GBC, Colombia GBC, Croatia GBC, Egypt GBC, Emirates GBC, Global Communities, GBC Ghana, Hong Kong GBC, Indian GBC, GBC Italia, Israel GBC, Jordan GBC, Kenya GBC, Mauritius GBC, Namibia GBC, Peru GBC, Qatar GBC, Romania GBC, Singapore GBC, GBC Slovenia, SUMe, Turkish GBC, and the USGBC.
