What programs and resources are available to help schools become more sustainable? Many schools are already engaged in activities to contribute to a more sustainable future, and many organizational members of the NJ Sustainable Schools Network (SSN) are providing resources to schools for the same purpose. The following resources are grouped according to the SSN's "seven doorways to a sustainable school."
Some programs overlap between areas. Please contact any programs or organizations that sound as if they might help your school take steps toward a more sustainable future.
1) SCHOOLS AND THEIR CAMPUS AS A TOTAL LEARNING ENVIRONMENT |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| Doing Our Share, school greenhouse gas reduction campaign | A new campaign to involve schools and students, through classroom hands-on activities, to track greenhouse gas emissions of their school buildings as a way to encourage energy conservation |
Jeffrey
L. Brown |
Start-up year 2000/2001 |
| Integrated Pest Management | least toxic pest control practices |
Jane Nogaki NJ Environmental Federation (856) 767-1110 janogaki@eticomm.net |
working with schools |
| Schoolyard Habitat Program | use schoolyards to study natural habitats |
Coalition for Schoolyard Habitat Programs Mimi Dunn (908) 637-4125 |
100+ schools already involved |
| Indoor Air Quality Program | promotes simple, low cost methods for reducing indoor air quality risks |
Jean Feola USEPA, Region 2 (212) 637-4025 feola.jean@epa.gov |
working with schools in NJ |
| National Center for Environmental Health Strategies | Fosters creative solutions re. indoor air quality/healthy environments, chemical sensitivities, environmental disabilities |
Mary Lamielle National Center for Environmental Health Strategies, Inc. (856) 429-5358 marylamielle@ncehs.org |
Working with schools and public and commercial buildings |
| Frost Valley YMCA | a residential camp committed to sustainable practices and programs; much to offer re facilities and grounds |
John Haskin (914) 985-2291 200 Frost Valley Rd Claryville NY 12725-9600 jhaskin@frostvalley.org |
ongoing programs, available to visit |
| The Geothermal Project at Richard Stockton College | Connected to the Energy$mart Schools program a federal initiative to help schools spend less on energy |
Alice M. Gitchell Geothermal Project Richard Stockton College (609) 652 4677 alice.gitchell@stockton.edu |
Support and information to school boards and school administrators |
| Energy Audit | see below: 2) STEM & 5) Green Schools Program | ||
| Facilities & grounds lessons from corporate environmental officers | Several large corporations are supporting the SSN through the involvement of their environmental officers. |
Global Learning, Inc. (908) 964-1114 globallearning@worldnet.att.net |
speakers available |
| "Living Machine" | natural wastewater treatment plant emits water at swimmable/fishable levels |
Darrow School (518) 794-6007 110 Darrow Rd New Lebanon, NY 12125 |
Operating |
| Historic Pesticide Contamination | survey of schools re. problem of building on former farmland/ orchards that have residual contamination |
Tessie Fields (609) 984-9305 NJ Department of Environmental Protection TFIELDS@dep.state.nj.us & Dr. Howard Tilis NJSchool Boards Association (609)278-5268 htilis@njsba.org |
an emerging environmental issue |
| Blueprint for Green Schools by Jayni Chase | resource book & speakers on a wide variety of environmental & health issues |
Michael Duffin Center for Environmental Education, Antioch NE 50 Avon St Keene NH 03431-3516 cee@antiochne.org (603)355-3251 |
book available through CEE |
| Water Use Audit | |||
| Paper Use Audit | |||
2) THE CURRICULUM |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| Global Learning's Sustainable Development Program | curriculum materials & teacher education on sustainable development & world history, US history, & NJ studies |
Global Learning |
available -- some for sale, some for cost of postage |
| McKinley School, New Brunswick | collaborative project featuring 4th grade student activities linking personal & planetary health |
Carl Henn (732) 545-1348 chenn10607@aol.com & Howard Herbert |
in development |
| EOHSI -- Environmental & Occupational Health Sciences Institute | environmental & occupational health educational materials & services, K-12 & adult |
Laura Hemminger, Director EOHSI Resource Center (732) 445-0110 hemminlb@umdnj.edu |
ongoing |
| Teaching to the Test: A Pocket Guide to Teachers' Resources for NJ's Social Studies Standard 6.6 | a guide to MS & HS curricula that teach about economic growth, environmental preservation & sustainable development | Global Learning | available |
| Ecological Economics - The Paper Trail: Connecting Economic and Natural Systems | 4 week secondary level unit can be integrated into social studies, economics & environmental classes. |
American Forum (212) 645 9930 www.globaled.org & Winifred Armstrong, Regional Plan Association (212)253-2727 ext. 372 winifred@rpa.org |
available from American Forum (212) 645-9930 |
| In Concert with the Environment | Students use computers to explore how home energy use & the environment are related |
Kimberly Curry Senior Facilitator PSE&G 5 Century Rd So Plainfield NJ 07080-1393 (973) 430-5699 |
Ongoing |
| STEM - Savings Through Energy Management | school energy audits & recommendations for retrofitting facilities |
Alma Rivera NJ Board of Public Utilities (973) 648-7605 |
Ongoing |
| Unity Charter School | elementary school modeled on sustainability |
Susan Lausell, Board Member Unity Charter School 340 Speedwell Avenue Morristown NJ 07960 (973) 984-5813 unity@gti.net www.unity-nj.org |
Ongoing |
| Going Places, Making Choices | secondary unit on transportation & the environment |
National 4H Council David Carrier carrier@fourhcouncil.edu (301) 961-2906 www.fourhcouncil.edu/ycc/ gpmc/index.html |
available for free |
| Earth Education Partnership | links NJ & Costa Rican schools through study of migratory birds & exchanges |
Erik Mollenhauer EIRC (609) 582-7000 erikm@eirc.org |
Ongoing |
| Creative Change Educational Solutions | The Shape of Change: A Curriculum for Building Strong Communities and a Sustainable Economy, Unit I: Introduction to sustainability |
Susan Santone Creative Change Educational Solutions (734) 482 0924 educhange@igc.org |
Available for $32.00 |
| draws out sustainability issues in traditional environmental ed. | e.g., Community Sustainability is a secondary unit from Izaak Walton League |
Izaak Walton League 707 Conservation La Gaithersburg MD 20878 (301) 548-0150 Jim Baird sustain@iwla.org |
available for $4 |
3) EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES AND COMMUNITY SERVICE |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| recycling in school |
No Plainfield HS |
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| local watersheds |
Tanya Oznowich NJDEP (609) 984-9802 toznowic@dep.state.nj.us |
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| Sustainable Communities Project: A Statewide High School Competition Fostering Partnerships in Planning for a Sustain-able Future | an annual competition for HS students starting in the 1999--2000 school year, culminating in May |
Greg Ammon North Plainfield H.S. 34 Wilson Ave. No.Plainfield, NJ 07060-4099 (908) 769-6000 g.ammon@worldnet.att.net |
in development |
| career options for sustainability | |||
| environmental justice | USEPA provides grants in this area & a newsletter, "EJ Quarterly." EPA & NJDEP have created a pilot Environmental Equity Program for the State. |
USEPA, Office of Environmental Justice 401 M Street SW Washington DC 20460 800-962-6215 & Janet Thornton at NJDEP |
ongoing |
| sustainable community development | The efforts for making NJ a sustainable state are centered in the State Development and Redevelopment Plan and NJF's sustainability indicators |
Kathleen Bird-Maurice NJ Office of State Planning (609) 292-3502 & Randy Solomon New Jersey Future (609) 393-0008 rsolomon@njfuture.org |
ongoing |
| A Living Laboratory | schoolyard gardens & anti-litter campaign |
Lesley Parness (973) 642- 4646 Greater Newark Conservancy www.citybloom.org |
ongoing |
4) PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| Regular meetings of NJ Sustainable Schools Network | numerous opportunities to learn from one another at the meetings |
Global Learning, Inc. |
quarterly |
| EOHSI ongoing workshops & a summer institute | on environmental hazards & health, K-12 |
Laura Hemminger EOHSI (732) 445-0110 hemminlb@umdnj.edu |
ongoing |
| NJ Geographic Alliance Summer Institute | annual SI, K-12 |
Peter Wacker Dept. of Geography, Rutgers University 52 Joyce Kilmer Ave. Piscataway, NJ 08854-8045 |
ongoing |
| workshops/exhibits at professional association meetings and annual conventions | NJ SSN members | Global Learning, Inc. | scheduled for fall of 1999 |
| Sustainability Education Center | Workshops for educators/communities on a wide range of sustainability issues |
Carmela M. Federico Program Coordinator (212) 645 9930 info@sustainabilityed.org |
Ongoing |
| Achieving a Sustainable Environment, Economy & Society | Twice monthly luncheon presentations at NJDEP; also research on sustainability issues |
Matt Polsky NJ Dept. of Environmental Protection mpolsky@dep.state.nj.us (609) 777-0319 |
open to public |
| TNS - The Natural Step | scientific basis of sustainable development, used by a growing number of corporations & universities |
Michael Shannon Center for Design Studies, Englewood (201) 568-2439 or TNS -- (415) 561-3344 |
Occasional workshops & newsletter www. Naturalstep.org |
5) CONSTRUCTING, RENOVATING AND RETROFITTING FACILITIES |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| Green Schools Program | combines energy efficiency management & building retrofit intervention with student involvement |
Marilee Harrigan |
wants to start working with schools in NJ |
| sustainable building standards for new schools | model criteria for sustainable school design & construction |
Cassandra Kling NJ Office of Sustainability (609) 633-3655 ceeklin@commerce.state.nj.us |
Available |
| building & retrofitting for sustainability | various options, e.g. energy saving, solar, recycled & nontoxic materials... |
Cassandra Kling NJ Office of Sustainability (609) 633-3655 ceeklin@commerce.state.nj.us |
Information available upon request & at monthly informational meetings |
| NJ Department of Environmental Protection | Integrating energy efficiency into school construction |
Mike Winka (609) 292- 9962
Athena Sarafides |
Informational meetings for architects, builders and school officials being planned for mid-March, 2001 |
| Model Green Buildings | exemplary buildings that demonstrate sustainable practices -- schools, college campus buildings, corporate facilities |
Jim Quigley NJ Higher Education Partnership for Sustainability (201) 684-7031 jquigley@ramapo.edu |
NJHEPS members are working on "campus green building plans" - ongoing |
6) INSTITUTIONAL PURCHASING PRACTICES |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| Rutgers Office of Procurement | an internationally renown example of life cycle assessment and working with suppliers to promote sustainable practices |
Kevin Lyons (609) 225-6140 |
Ongoing |
| Green Procurement Program | gives assistance in locating vendors of sustainable options; free directory of NJ Green Companies |
Cassandra Kling NJ Office of Sustainability (609) 633-3655 ceeklin@commerce.state.nj.us |
Ongoing |
| Environmentally Preferable Purchasing | National Association of Counties |
http://www.naco.org/programs/ environ/purchase.cfm |
Ongoing |
| Purchasing for Pollution Prevention Project | INFORM's project to spur state and local government entities to purchase alternatives to products containing persistent, bio-accumulative toxins (PBTs) |
Alicia Culver Senior Research Associate INFORM (212) 361 2400, ext: 234 culver@informinc.org |
New project of INFORM - ongoing |
| State Cooperative Purchasing Program | recycled paper goods, anti-freeze, motor oil, tires available to schools |
NJDept of Treasury Division of Purchase & Property (Lana J. Sims) |
Ongoing |
7) TRANSPORTATION |
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| Program Name | Description | Contact | Status |
| Advanced Technology Vehicle Taskforce, Clean Cities Program | gives assistance in finding funding for alternative fuel vehicles for municipalities |
Ellen Bourbon |
Ongoing |
| California's Safe School Bus Clean Fuel Efficiency Demonstration Program | provides alternative fuel buses to CA schools and has pioneered new technologies with existing school bus makers |
Al Deterville Transportation Technologies & Fuels Office California Energy Commission (916) 654-4685 ADetervi@energy.ca.gov http://www.energy.ca.gov/afvs/ schoolbus/index.html |
Ongoing |
| NJ Genesis project | Annual project to involve high schools, colleges and industry in building an alternative fuel car for entry in an annual race for alternative energy cars |
Kirsten Minich Millenium Cell Corp. Minich@milleniumcell.com |
Ongoing |
| Way To Go | a program for elementary schools to enable more children to walk, bike, carpool or take public transportation to school with their families, friends & neighbors |
Way To Go (604) 732-1511 toll free: (877)-325-3636 British Columbia Canada waytogo@bc.sympatico.ca http:/www.waytogo.icbc.bc.ca/ descript.html |
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| Car pooling at school | |||