Green California Schools Summit Advances Energy Efficiency

From Dec. 8 – 10 at the Pasadena Convention Center in California, hundreds of leaders in environmental education came together for the Green California Schools Summit and Expo, appropriately themed, “Green Schools: More Important than Ever.”

Leaders in education and green building delivered the keynote addresses: Norma Williamson, who was the 1991 Teacher of the Year at La Mirada Unified School District, and Eric Corey Freed, who is a renowned architect, principal of organicARCHITECT and author of four books on green building. Concurrent sessions focused on innovative school projects and strategies for infusing environmental issues into curricula. The sessions covered what it means to be a “green” school, financing renewable energy, greening curricula and using the school building as a learning laboratory. 

“The Summit was eye-opening and introduced me to the abundance of teachers, academics and green professionals dedicated to advancing sustainability and environmental education in K-12 schools,” said Alliance Project Manager Jennifer Alvarez at the event.

Alliance’s Green Schools Program in the Spotlight

Alliance Program Associate Katie Landeros, Vista Murrieta High School teacher Matthew Willard and seven senior students from Sultana High School in Hesperia Unified School District gave a presentation about the Green Schools Program in a session titled, “Tomorrow’s Energy Leaders: The Role of Education in Solving the Climate Crisis.”

The students not only impressed the audience with their knowledge of energy audits and data collection, but also enjoyed doing the presentation, according to Sultana teacher and Green Schools advisor Mark Ziesmer. “I was proud of them,” Zeismer added. 

Recognizing Green Schools Efforts

Murrieta Valley Unified School District, a champion district involved in the Alliance’s Green Schools Program for several years, won the Green Leadership Award in the Energy category. The district is receiving the award for their achievements in energy efficiency programs such as the Green Schools Program, retrofits of existing buildings and building new schools with high levels of energy efficiency. 

Murrieta’s Energy Manager Jeff Boone accepted the Green Leadership Award on behalf of the district.

For More Info

The Green California Schools Summit is designed by an advisory board chaired by Bonnie Reiss, the state’s Secretary of Education. For more information on the summit, visit www.green-technology.org/gcschools