Your Action Plan will need to fit into one category of of the 21 resource groups. Browse the list below to find where yours fits or to help you pick one. See the GSA 21 Resource Groups on the GSA website: HERE |
Buildings & Grounds
Share and learn about high performance buildings and managing school grounds, including designing, renovating or constructing schools to LEED standards or its equivalent, as well as sustainable landscaping strategies such as composting, mulching, and storm water and biodiversity management. Communication & Outreach Share and learn how to launch successful communication and outreach campaigns. Explore not “what” to communicate, but “how” to communicate with students and others about sustainability programs, projects, goals and accomplishments. As we say at GSA, “Spread the word. Not CO2.” Financing & Funding Share and learn how to develop investment policies and practices that consider triple bottom line sustainability – economic, equity and environmental. Explore investment impacts, new opportunities, and where to find funding for your school projects. Indoor Environmental Quality Share and learn about indoor environmental quality, including topics such as green cleaning, indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and noise pollution. Explore opportunities to reduce toxins and manage systems to improve the health and comfort of all occupants. Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink! The 4R's – Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, Rethink – define how we should tackle the creation, management, and elimination of waste in our schools. Explore different approaches in implementing a comprehensive approach to sustainable waste management and include the entire community. Sustainable Food Service Share and learn how school food and cafeteria practices impact education, health/wellness, and much more. Explore opportunities to improve operations through local food initiatives, offering vegetarian options, reducing food waste through food donations and thoughtful purchasing. Water Conservation Share and learn how to track and reduce your school's water consumption and teach water conservation to the school community. Explore strategies to reduce consumption in buildings through efficient fixtures and improve wasteful behavior. Climate & Emissions Share and learn how to track and reduce greenhouse gas emissions over time. Explore current climate topics and opportunities to educate and engage your students and community about global climate change and the behaviors that contribute to it. District Leadership Learn and share best practices with other district-level sustainability leaders. Learn how to drive sustainability into the core of your district's mission and business and get connected to knowledge in sustainability leadership, implementation, and education. Gardening & Pollinators Share and learn how to create and maintain a school garden that engages your community through classroom engagement, pollination, and composting. Explore “garden to table” initiatives and planting for pollinator habitats. Planning & Policy Share and learn how to integrate sustainability as a guiding principle across all institutional planning, policies and practices. Develop a green team, mission statement, and strategic plan. Build sustainability strategies into human resources, administrations, and operations. Service Learning & Community Share and learn about service learning techniques and management through volunteerism and hands-on community service programs. Explore the many opportunities that build skills, knowledge, and leadership to connect youth to nature and place, while rippling sustainability efforts to and from your community. Teaching Sustainability Share and learn how to infuse your classroom with triple bottom line sustainability – environment, economics, and equity. Explore professional development to support your efforts. This group explores the theories behind incorporating education for sustainability into the classroom. Topic-specific lesson plans are in the appropriate action group. Wildlife & Nature Share and learn about connecting youth to nature and place. Explore opportunities to build habitat, restore wetlands, and teach this generation about protecting and preserving all living things and wild places, now and for the future. (See also Gardens and Pollinators and Service Learning & Community) Co-Curricular Activities Share and learn how to build a culture of sustainability through extra-curricular activities including building student-led organizations, providing assemblies, taking students on field trips, and connecting to outdoor programs. Energy Share and learn how to track your school's total building energy consumption and improve it through efficiency efforts, including topics such as HVAC, lighting, insulation, hot water, occupant behavior, and other resource saving strategies. Explore renewable energy strategies from on-site installations to renewable energy credits. Health & Wellness Share and learn how physical activity and a healthy diet provide opportunities for students, faculty and staff to maximize their engagement with the outdoors, while increasing their overall well-being. Purchasing Share and learn about environmentally-preferred purchasing methods to reduce consumption levels at your school. Explore opportunities to aggregate our members' collective power to impact markets, products and pricing, and to teach others about smarter consumerism. Social Justice & Equity Share and learn how to create sustainability policies and practices that are inclusive, diverse, and balanced. Explore diversity training and other programs that are accessible and affordable to everyone – students, faulty and staff. Transportation Share and learn about how to reduce emissions by creating a pedestrian and bike friendly campus. Explore alternative commuting options, fuel efficient/electric fleet vehicles, and more. Youth Leadership Share and learn about how to improve youth leadership skills and advocacy. Explore how to start programs and clubs at your school and invite others. Become a global leader in your community and connect with others as passionate about being a sustainability leader as you are! |