Earth Day 2010: Schools Embrace The Going Green Movement

This April 22nd marks Earth Day's 40th anniversary. From its origins as a post Vietnam grassroots demonstration in 1970, through its lukewarm years in the 80's, to its diverse celebrations in the new millennium, Earth Day marks our evolving relationship with our planet. The idea of protecting the environment has changed over the last 40 years from an occasional topic for study to that of a mainstream attitude permeating lifestyle choices and social action. A look at some present day initiatives in schools across North America brings inspiration and hope for a more sustainable future.

Schools are increasingly modelling stewardship to their students and involving them in the process. More and more schools are earning environmental grants and honorary awards for their gold, silver or bronze levels of environmentalism. The students are running recycling programs, caring for their rooftop gardens, designing energy-efficient buildings, helping to carry out waste audits in their schools, and urging administrators to buy green school supplies and cleaning products.

Another way in which schools are going green is to retrofit their buildings to improve indoor air quality, increase energy efficiency, and capture solar energy through solar panels. New schools are often being built green from the ground up. According to the 2006 Greening America's Schools: Costs and Benefits report, it costs approximately less than 2%, or about $3 per square foot more, to build a green versus traditional school, and payback often occurs within a few years due to energy savings.

And then there's a whole new breed of schools that have sprung up, integrating environmental education throughout its whole curriculum. A network of Green Charter schools has spread throughout the U.S. with names like: The Growing Up Green School, The Urban Assembly School for Green Careers, and simply, The Green School. The students there go beyond the predictable topics such as global warming, recycling and tree planting, to look at local environmental issues and the impact they can have in society.

Despite a growing awareness through the 60's of environmental destruction, Senator Gaylord Nelson, who was the brainchild of Earth Day, was surprised by its immediate success in 1970. Approximately 20 million Americans and thousands of colleges and universities participated in coast-to-coast rallies, protests, demonstrations and teach-ins. Senator Nelson has attributed this instant achievement to the grassroots nature of the Day. Earth Day just organizes itself.

This is the legacy that Earth Day has brought to the world stage, and the impetus for the modern grassroots green movement. Wherever schools across North America are on the spectrum of eco awareness, there can be little doubt that the environment is a universal concern and schools are celebrating Earth Day in a diversity of ways. The next generation will come less to see Earth Day as a day to remember the plight of the earth as it is an opportunity to celebrate their year-long activities and achievements.