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Partner Organizations and Resources

There are numerous organizations and resources available for you as you move along the path to becoming a more sustainable school.  The organizations listed are our partners in the efforts to help schools to become more sustainable.  Each organization will have numerous resources available for use.

Partner Organizations

Eco-Schools USA - Through school-based action teams of students, administrators, educators and community volunteers, Eco-Schools combines effective "green" management of the school grounds, facilities and the curriculum. 

PA Green and Healthy Schools Partnership is a collaborative effort formed to promote healthy and high performing places of learning across the Commonwealth.  PAGHSP brings together a network of non-profits, governmental agencies, and others who are committed to ensuring that all schools are healthy, environmentally friendly and cost efficient places of learning.

Green Schools - Project Learning Tree (PLT) The Green Schools program inspires students to apply their STEM and investigative skills to create greener and healthier schools – and save schools money. Importantly with PLT Green Schools, it's students who lead the way. Students learn they can make a difference in the world as they are empowered to make changes and take ownership of the projects, they lead to reduce their school's environmental footprint.  To view and download each of the Investigations for free, register as a PLT Green School. For more information or to schedule a workshop, Contact the Pennsylvania's PLT State Coordinator.

Green Strides - A dynamic and user-friendly web portal created by the US Department of Education's Green Ribbon Program and USGBC's Center for Green Schools to connect all school communities with the free, publicly available resources from a variety of sources that these recognition award honorees effectively use. The Green Strides portal is intended as a one-stop-shop for resources, webinars, case studies, promising practices and collaboration so that all schools can make progress across every Pillar of the award.

Projects for A Healthy School Environment @Bay Backpack  - Pennsylvania is an active participant in the Chesapeake Bay Watershed Agreement and are a beneficiary of the collective works of the NOAA -Chesapeake Bay Office's work to help support environmental literacy and sustainable schools since approximately 50 % of our state is within the Chesapeake Bay watershed.  All project resources on Bay Backpack (and others) align with the PA Pathways to Green Schools and the U.S. Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools "pillars" of healthy schools. No matter where you are in Pennsylvania, these resources will help you learn more about how to pursue initiatives to improve school health indoors and out and help students and staff utilize the school and school grounds as a learning tool to connect to the environment, improve health and performance, and develop the knowledge and skills to address sustainability and environmental issues in their community.

US Department of Education Green Ribbon Schools (ED-GRS) is to inspire schools, districts and institutions of higher education (IHEs) to strive for 21st century excellence, by highlighting promising practices and resources that all can employ.

The Center for Green Schools at the US Green Building Council advances green schools and provides materials and training for school districts and education leaders seeking to create sustainable, healthy, resilient, and equitable learning environments. Support is provided through professional development, peer networks, research, and advocacy. gives them access to educational opportunities and a community of green building experts.

Resources

GREEN STRIDES, is a collection of support and resource materials provided by the US Department of Education and the Center for Green Schools, designed to connect all school communities with the free, publicly-available resources from a variety of sources that these recognition award honorees effectively use. The Green Strides portal is intended as a one-stop-shop for resources, webinars, case studies, promising practices, and collaboration so that all schools can make progress across every Pillar of the award.

Arc in Schools is a free and online building performance platform that assists school s in collecting, auditing, and communicating a school building's sustainability performance data in one easy-to-read score and graphic: energy, water, waste, transportation, and air quality. 

Recycle My Battery (RMB), is a non-profit organization that has received international recognition for their work to educate about the benefits of battery recycling.  Founded Nihal Tammana, at age 10, and now lead by a cooperative of students and advisor, RMB is actively working to reduce contaminants related to battery use in the waste stream and provide resources for  Battery Free Schools. Through strategic partnerships with Call2Recycle, school superintendents, and fiscal donors, RMB provides schools and other NGOs recycling bins and awareness campaign resources to over 250 locations across the USA.​