The Opportunity

Cities produce 75% of climate emissions. Investing in energy efficiency is one the most effective ways to create jobs and address 21st century challenges.  GSA “schools guiding schools” are developing replicable models for success, to set quantifiable goals and then to meet them. Together, our schools are generating opportunities to put people to work, save money and save resources.

There are more than 120,000 public, private and independent pre-K to grade 12 schools in the United States alone that directly touch the lives of more than 80 million people. When friends, relatives and their local communities are factored into the equation, the number is enormous. The aggregate impact of school communities is sufficient to play a measurable role in helping to mitigate global warming and build a safe, sustainable future through the collective strength of individual action. Through the GSA, pre-K to grade 12 schools can have a voice in the national dialogue on climate and the environment. If inspired to think globally and act locally, students and their broader school communities, can be empowered to become stewards for the environment who can impact climate change and our future on this planet.

FACT: According to the U.S. Department Of Energy, taxpayers spend $8 billion dollars on energy for schools each year. Green schools reduce these costs by an average of 35%. Nationally, this equals nearly $3 billion dollars, EACH YEAR. This $3 billion could purchase 80 million new textbooks, or be used to hire 60,000 new teachers who could incorporate their school's green features into their curriculum, providing students with hands-on learning opportunities, and empowering them for the future.

FACT: Teachers could incorporate their school's green features, such as energy, into their curriculum, providing students with hands-on learning opportunities about the environment, educate their school communities about the important role each person can play to build a safe, sustainable future.