My engagement as a parent Green Team leader at Jefferson Elementary this year motivated me to write this petition urging the BUSD  to implement clear and direct action to become a greener and more sustainable school district. Our celebration of Earth Day 2015 seems like the perfect time to circulate this petition. 

– Colleen Mahoney, Founder and Director A Kid By Nature and parent of two BUSD students

Petition to the Berkeley Unified School District, requesting more green schools and sustainability education

The City of Berkeley has a reputation around the country for being a leader in sustainability efforts. But the Berkeley Unified School District’s efforts to reduce the environmental footprint of schools and promote environmental literacy lag behind other districts around the country.  We applaud the District’s world-class gardening programs, its efforts to install solar panels and energy efficient lighting, and waste reduction programs. In the face of climate change and severe drought, and emerging needs for more resiliency as a community, there is so much more Berkeley schools can and should do. We, the undersigned, believe that green schools and environmental literacy are fundamental to a high-quality 21st century education and request that Berkeley Unified School District ensure that all Berkeley students have immediate access to healthy, green school buildings and grounds and hands-on environmental and outdoor education. We request that BUSD:

1. Adopt a green,healthy schools and environmental literacy resolution or policy to establish goals and commitments.
2. Establish a district-wide Green Schools Committee at the beginning of the 2015-16 school year with members of the School Board, BUSD Administrators, teachers, parents, students, City of Berkeley, the Berkeley Climate Action Coalition, youth leaders, Ecology Center, Green Schools Initiative,  and other community organizations that will take strong action to: host public consultations, assess current efforts, propose additional initiatives, and develop other ideas and strategies. Environmental topics can include: indoor air quality, green cleaning, waste, energy, water, transportation, food, sustainability education, green schoolyards and gardens, and outdoor education.
3. Establish a Sustainability Coordinator position, funded via grants, energy and waste utility savings, City of Berkeley grants, and/or other sources.
4. Implement professional development for teachers, facilities/custodial staff, and administrators around green, healthy schools and environmental literacy, including ways to engage students in hands-on environmental learning