Tools and Partners for Greening Your School
Internal Resources
Each day, BVSD students, staff, and families experience sustainable living. This tool lets you explore the many ways students encounter BVSD's sustainability efforts throughout their school day.
The Sustainability Dashboard provides a snapshot of BVSD's sustainability efforts on a school by school basis and across schools to show our progress toward our sustainability goals. This is a great tool for learning more about our sustainability work or to support classroom lessons.
Check out the Green Purchasing Guide for information on how to buy green for your school.
Free energy efficiency take action kit
Xcel Energy is offering a free energy efficiency take action kit for 6th grade teachers. The kit comes with activities and materials that are aligned with standards. These items are designed to open students’ and parents’ eyes to the energy-saving potential of simple, easy-to-implement conservation practices. Go to thinkenergy.org/xcelenergy to learn more and sign up.
Classroom Celebration Waste Reduction Tips
Reduce, Reuse and Recycle during classroom celebrations
The eeVirtual Learning Database helps teachers navigate the sometimes overwhelming number of online resources available by increasing quality and accessibility. Content on the platform is designed to have the flexibility for students to complete assignments at home. The content is also available in Spanish for bilingual students. Multiple organizations have helped contribute to content to make the eeVirtual Learning Database a success.
This 2014 publication offers step-by-step instruction for starting a school garden as well as suggested lesson plans.
Indoor Air Quality Initiative
In spring 2016, BVSD initiated a long-term project that we expect to have significant benefits for all schools in our district. We partnered with the University of Tulsa Indoor Air Program and key personnel from the University of Colorado, with support from Harvard and the National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) to engage in a study to improve indoor air quality (IAQ) in BVSD schools. Learn more about how BVSD protects indoor air quality in our schools at this link.
Safe Routes to School Lesson Guides
Learn more about the Colorado Department of Transportation's Safe Routes to Schools (SRTS) program.
Get started at your school with the Sustainability Checklist.
Develop sustainability practices in the areas of energy, solid waste, water and transportation.
State and National Partners
Carbon Footprint Calculator
Determine your carbon footprint using the carbon calculator.
Center for Green Schools
The Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council believes that “all students deserve to attend sustainable schools that enhance their health and prepare them for 21st century careers.” The Center for Green Schools puts sustainability at the forefront of the student experience. Through initiatives in the classroom and the community, the Center for Green Schools hopes to promote the health and well-being of students by understanding the challenges that K-12 schools face.
Colorado Energy Office
“The Colorado Energy Office is a non-regulatory department within the Governor's Office.” Its mission is to, “Reduce greenhouse gas emissions and consumer energy costs by advancing clean energy, energy efficiency and zero emission vehicles to benefit all Coloradans.” Some of their offerings include information about Energy Performance Contracting (EPC) and information regarding the ReNew Our Schools Program. To learn more about other programs and initiatives, please visit their website.
Green Schools National Network
Green Schools National Network (GSNN) is an organization that works with multiple stakeholders across the K-12 education space, including educators, government and non-governmental organizations and agencies, and other private partners. “GSNN provides K-12 teachers, administrators, leaders and professionals with evidence-based resources and tools to maximize financial and natural resources; improve the health and well-being of staff and students; and prepare students with the knowledge and skills for a sustainable future.” BVSD is a member of this network and all BVSD schools and teachers qualify for discounts to programming.
Green Schoolyards America
Green Schoolyards America seeks to transform asphalt-covered school grounds into park-like green spaces that improve children’s well-being, learning, and play while contributing to their communities' ecological health and climate resilience. They are working to change the paradigm for school ground design, use, and management so all students will have access to the natural world in the places they already visit on a daily basis.
Local Partners
The Alliance for Climate Education (ACE)
A non-profit organization whose mission is to educate high school students on the science behind climate change and inspire them to take action to curb the causes of global warming. We offer FREE multimedia assemblies and help students take action through carbon-reducing projects in their schools and communities.
Boulder County Parks & Open Space
The county government department that manages all aspects of our public open space land. The Education and Outreach division offers free educational programs about (and in!) the local environment.
Boulder County Sustainability
Boulder County is committed to the principles and concepts of Sustainability: Balancing a strong economy, protection of the environment, and social equity in order to achieve an improved quality of life for ourselves and future generations.
The City of Boulder's Department of Climate Initiatives
Click here to learn more about City of Boulder's climate initiatives.
The Cottonwood Institute
An award-winning 501(c)3 educational non-profit organization based in Denver, Colorado. The vision of the Cottonwood Institute is to inspire a new generation of 21st century leaders who are environmentally aware, civically engaged, and empowered to make a positive impact within their communities.
Eco-Cycle
Eco-Cycle's School Recycling and Environmental Education Program provides recycling collection services, education and feedback to schools in BVSD. Student groups are welcome to contact us for help improving and increasing recycling at their school.
E Movement
The E Movement is a collective of teachers, schools, local governments, nonprofits, and someday parents and businesses collaborating to increase environmental literacy and build a stewardship ethic within today’s youth and tomorrow’s leaders. This community wide effort provides Boulder County youth with the knowledge, care, skills, and connection to place required to become stewards of the environment. To guide these collaborative efforts, a set of E Guidelines were developed laying out a scaffolded, whole-child approach to environmental education. BVSD has been instrumental in developing and supporting the E Movement and the E Guidelines. Currently this program is being piloted within select Boulder County schools and classrooms. To learn more or sign up, please visit www.eMovement.org.
Garden to Table (also known as Growe Foundation)
empowers school communities with gardens and curriculum to engage all students in experiential outdoor education. This program is principal led, teacher implemented and parent supported. Garden lessons are aligned with Colorado Academic Standards in science and expose students to gardening, nutrition and environmental stewardship. Eighteen BVSD elementary schools are currently participating in the program which also includes garden support, volunteer and teacher training, instructional resources and scheduling tools. Video lessons (including worksheets and outdoor activities) for grades PK-5 are available at www.gardentotable.org.
Growing Up Boulder
Founded in 2009, Growing Up Boulder (GUB) is one of the longest running child- and youth-friendly city initiatives in the United States. A partnership between the University of Colorado's Community Engagement Design and Research (CEDaR) Center, the City of Boulder, Boulder Valley School District, local nonprofits, and of course, children and youth, GUB elevates young people's voices so they may contribute to meaningful change in their communities. Over our 12 years, we have conducted relevant, project-based learning in more than 100 BVSD classrooms, from kindergarten through 12th grade. GUB has impacted the lives of more than 6,000 Boulder young people locally and 3 million people internationally through our TED talk, academic writing, popular media articles, lectures and trainings. For more information, visit: www.growingupboulder.org.
Keep it Clean Partnership (KICP)
A partnership of Colorado communities in the Boulder and St. Vrain watersheds, and includes Boulder County; the cities of Boulder, Longmont and Louisville; and the towns of Erie and Superior. The KICP offers water education programs, community service projects, and is present at community events with outreach materials for the public. This includes programs offered in classrooms, as field activities, or speaker programs for groups.
University of Colorado's Environmental Center
CU's Environmental Center is the nation's largest and most accomplished student-led center of its kind. The center can help with communicating sustainability, running a zero waste event, changing behavior, working with volunteers, organizing events and conferences.
Wildlands Restoration Volunteers
A non-profit organization that provides an opportunity for people to come together, learn about their environment, and take direct action to restore and care for the land. They offer a variety of in-class presentations and stewardship activities, service-learning field trips, as well as many leadership opportunities.