This Guide explains how schools can use EXHALE strategies, individually or in combination, to help people with asthma achieve better health outcomes.

Tree-Plenish is a non-profit that helps schools host community tree-planting events to offset their school's energy consumption. Tree-Plenish supports schools every step of the event hosting process from picking the right species all the way to setting up on the day of the event. Tree-Plenish orders and ships the saplings, creates a custom website for each school's event, and provides mentorship support. The event comes at no cost to the school.

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition award for school sustainability. Learn about the 2020 ED-GRS honorees’ cost-saving, health promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices in our annual Highlights Report. 

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition award for school sustainability. Learn about the 2019 ED-GRS honorees’ cost-saving, health promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices in our annual Highlights Report. 

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.

U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is a federal recognition award for school sustainability. Learn about the 2016 ED-GRS honorees’ cost-saving, health promoting, and performance-enhancing sustainability practices in our annual Highlights Report. 

Learn from past ED-GRS honorees.  Then apply to your state education authorities for their nomination to ED today!

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.

This report provides examples of efforts in all three Pillars of the ED-GRS award: 1) reducing environmental impacts; 2) improving health and wellness; and 3) offering effective environmental and sustainability education.  Awardees must document progress in all of these Pillars in order to be selected for the federal recognition award.

Learn from past ED-GRS honorees.  Then apply to your state education authorities for their nomination to ED today!

This study explored the status of climate change education policy in the United States by analyzing the extent and type of climate change inclusion in 802 publicly available education policies from state departments or boards of education. Using a whole institution approach, researchers collected and reviewed policies from each of four domains: (1) institutional governance (e.g., strategic plans), (2) teaching and learning (e.g., state standards), (3) facilities and operations (e.g., operations plans), and (4) community partnerships (e.g., community engagement plans). This study also evaluated how holistic the approach to climate change education was by looking at inclusion of three learning dimensions: 1) cognitive (e.g., teaching the science of the greenhouse effect), (2) socio-emotional (e.g., addressing social and emotional issues such as grief and denial), and (3) action-oriented (e.g., focusing on collective justice-oriented climate action).

The study builds on prior climate change education research and underscores the importance of including climate change in education policy in all areas of institutional activity to further climate change action through education.

This design guide should be used to prioritize decisions related to Heating, Ventilating, and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system design and operation for both existing facilities (commissioning, maintenance, improvement, and retrofit projects) and new facilities in order to improve indoor air quality while limiting energy consumption.

The Decarbonization Roadmap Guide is written for those interested in healthy, efficient, carbon neutral school design, construction and operation. It outlines achievable goals that result in healthy, affordable, all-electric facilities, and explains common actions taken by leading districts to operationalize their carbon neutral ambitions.

EPA has created this voluntary assessment to help you reduce and prevent exposures to common environmental health hazards in your school. This fillable PDF was adapted from the quick assessment in the brochure Sensible Steps to Healthier School Environments. For more information, go to EPA's Healthy Schools website.

This brochure is designed to address some of the most common areas of environmental health concerns found in schools. It also provides one-stop access to learn some facts about these issues and the many existing low cost or no cost, affordable measures, programs and resources available to help prevent, reduce and resolve each of the highlighted environmental hazards. By completing the voluntary Quick Assessment activity provided near the end of this brochure, schools can determine which areas and programs will require more detailed attention. Additionally, by implementing the waste reduction and energy efficiency actions highlighted, schools can conserve valuable, financial resources.

Healthy school environments can affect the attendance, concentration and performance of both students and educators. This website presents information on key topics about establishing and enhancing healthy school environments.

This guide offers valuable information for all school staff, especially school nurses, teachers and maintenance staff, on how to identify and control common environmental factors in schools that trigger asthma episodes.

Promote a healthy learning environment at your school to reduce absenteeism, improve test scores and enhance student and staff productivity.

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) created this document to help existing and planned school communities identify strategies for reducing traffic-related pollution exposure at schools located downwind from heavily traveled roadways (such as highways), along corridors with significant truck traffic, or near other sources of significant particulate air pollution sources.  The publication has been updated from a previously released version in 2015.  New sections have been added including air quality monitoring with sensors due to the rapid increase in use and interest on this topic.

"EPA offers funding, as appropriated annually by Congress, for projects that reduce emissions from existing diesel engines. EPA also provides information on strategies for reducing emissions from older school buses. One of the easiest ways to reduce school bus emissions and save money is to reduce idling. Another effective method is to replace the oldest school buses in the fleet."

EPA is concerned that there is potential widespread use of PCB-containing building materials in schools and other buildings constructed or renovated between about 1950 and 1979. This page provides the Agency’s updated guidance for school administrators and building owners, including information about managing PCBs in building materials to help minimize possible exposures to building occupants.

This Green Cleaning, Sanitizing, and Disinfecting Toolkit provides guidance and information to early care and education (ECE) programs so they can better maintain their facilities while also reducing infectious disease.

EPA's web-based tool kit helps schools start chemical management programs that will improve their chemical management practices by: removing inappropriate, outdated, unknown and unnecessary chemicals from schools; preventing future chemical mismanagement issues in schools through training, curriculum and policy change, and long-term management solutions; and raising awareness of chemical issues in schools and promoting sustainable solutions.

This EPA webpage provides information on how to protect your family from sources of lead, including throughout a child's environment from playgrounds and older homes to drinking water and household products.