Environmental


 * __Environmental Impacts from 1989 - 2009__**


 * March 1989 The Exxon Valdez spills 11 million gallons of crude oil into Alaska's Prince William Sound
 * September, 1989 Hurricane Hugo
 * October, 1989 San Francisco Earthquake
 * 1990 Twentieth anniversary of Earth Day
 * 1990 Congress passes the Clean Air Act Amendments
 * 1990 President Bush signs the Pollution Prevention Act and the National Environmental Education Act
 * August 1992 Hurricane Andrew
 * 1992 The UN General Assembly bans drift net fishing in international waters
 * 1992 EPA launches the Energy Star program
 * 1993, Great Flood from Minnesota to Missouri
 * 1994 Northridge Earthquake
 * 1995 EPA requires municipal incinerators to reduce toxic emissions by 90% from 1990 levels
 * 1996 Public drinking water suppliers are required to inform customers about chemicals and microbes in their water
 * 1996 EPA requires that home buyers and renters be informed of lead based paint hazards
 * January, 1996 Blizzard on the East Coast
 * 2001 September 11th attacks and collapse of the World Trade Centers
 * 2003 Reports begin to circulate that President Bush, through the rollback of over 200 environmental laws, is the worst environmental president
 * 2003 EPA establishes the Clean School Bus USA program
 * 2004, Tsunami hits the Indian Ocean
 * 2005 World Environment Day held in the United States for the first time in 30 years
 * August, 2005 Hurricane Katrina
 * 2006 Al Gore wins the Nobel Peace Prize
 * 2007 Live Earth concert occurs
 * 2008 The G8 agrees to cut greenhouse gas emissions in half by 2050. This is the first time all 8 countries have made a climate commitment
 * 2008 It is found that the Bush Administration rewrote scientific reports to suit political ends
 * Tax Breaks for Green Projects
 * Electricity prices on the verge of explosion

If one is talking about sustainability from an environment aspect, wouldn't it be expensive for a school/university/business to convert from a traditional based model to an environmentally friendly model by complying with USGBC and LEED certification systems or manufacturing eco-friendly products when they are having a hard time just sustaining their existing workforce? Some schools don't have money to stay afloat due to which they are shutting down. Investing in technology in the short run may turn out to be expensive but in the long run it could pay off given the fact that a new technology does not invade the market. As rate caps for electricity costs are about to be removed and economic pressures from the general community put constraints on tight budgets, school districts are being forced not from an ethical obligation but from a real financial perspective to seek new ways of approaching their plans for the next period of building plans and renovations.

__**Working Strategy**__ For those who are addressing renovation and/or new building projects, however, "Going Green" may pay dividends. Tax breaks, financial opportunities (such as dollar for dollar matching funds), and energy savings may result in a more long term economically and environmentally friendly investment. The fact is that school districts are aggressively seeking ways to make building projects more sustainable and advantageous to the community's interests by investing in green technologies for all ranges of projects.

For the practitioner, key steps should be taken when embracing this challenge and opportunity:
 * 1) Prioritize the projects that are both short-term and long-term.
 * 2) Analyze funding streams within the budget as well as demands on the budget from other expenditure categories. Short-term and smaller projects may be possible within the current budget structure. Longer term projects (new building construction, major overhaul of HVAC systems) may require more creative approaches to finance.
 * 3) During the vendor bidding process, pay special attention to vendors who offer green avenues.
 * 4) Research both local partnerships with community-tied businesses and larger corporate funds.
 * 5) Research existing plans and projects in other school districts, both locally and nationally.
 * 6) Meet with stakeholder groups to nurture buy-in and create shared values.

There are sources available for creative funding of these projects as well as examples from actual school districts making these changes. To begin focusing, the links below provide valuable information. To begin building Leadership Capacity, please refer to the Toolbox subpage. [|Green Communities] [|Green Building - EPA] [|Information on Non-Profit Grants] [|Ideas to Find Funding] [|Kansas - Examples of Green Schools Projects] [|San Jose - Examples of Green Schools Projects]