Green schools advocacy begins in the communities, at the grassroots level, with parents, teachers, students and others making their voices heard on the importance of healthy, environmentally friendly schools that promote learning and save school districts money.

But there is also an important role for national leaders to play. Federal leadership helps fund research on the benefits and best practices of green schools, and it sends the message nationwide that green schools are good for everyone.

Congress takes the lead

That national view has led to the formation of the Green Schools Caucus in the House of Representatives. The Green Schools Caucus, formed by retired Rep. Darlene Hooley, D-Ore., Rep. Michael McCaul, R-Texas, and Rep. Jim Matheson, D-Utah, aims to raise awareness of the benefits of green schools, lead the policy discussion on the topic in various forums, create legislative opportunities for the collective efforts of the caucus members, and provide members of Congress with constituent outreach resources. Caucus members and their staff will participate in educational programs to learn what is going on nationally and in their districts, including site visits to green schools and educational panels with teachers, architects and school officials from across the country.

Contact us for more information on the Congressional Green Schools Caucus.

All about green schools

By their very nature, schools are an investment in the future, preparing the next generation of leaders and paving the way for tomorrow’s innovations. Congress can have an enormous impact on our nation's approach to new and existing school buildings. This caucus will empower federal legislators to work with their constituents and each other and take advantage of the many opportunities that exist to make our nation’s schools greener, our students and teachers healthier, and our communities stronger.

Green schools use less energy and less water. They maximize natural daylight to create a more comfortable environment that is conducive to learning. They have better acoustics and more comfortable and efficient climate control. They aim for healthier indoor air. And their natural systems, such as green roofs or solar panels, provide hands-on learning opportunities, creating a generation of "sustainability natives" who know instinctively how to make smart decisions about sustainable living.

According to "Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits" by Gregory Kats, green schools:

• Save an average of $70 per square foot over comparable conventional schools.
• Use 30-50% less energy.
• Use 30% less water.

» Learn more about the benefits of green schools.
» Get the stats: Read the latest green schools studies and research.
» Find out how the green schools movement is catching on where you live: Browse the green schools maps.
» View green schools videos and slideshows, see profiles of green schools and read student work in the resource library.