Industry News

Mayors' Alliance for Green Schools Announced

Oct. 28, 2008

The formation of the Mayors' Alliance for Green Schools was recently announced. A coalition of mayors seeking to strategically harness the leadership and creativity of mayors across the country to promote the benefits of green schools in their communities, the alliance was developed in partnership with the Washington, D.C.-based U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC). It will work to accelerate implementation of programs supporting the 2007 U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) resolution that calls for green schools for all children within a generation.

"As mayors, we know all too well that schools are the heart of our communities, as they represent the promise we make to our children and future generations - a promise of learning and of opportunity," says Mayor Manny Diaz of Miami, president at the USCM. "With this alliance, we are coming together and reconfirming our promise to the health and learning of children, and ensuring that future generations are mindful of the importance of protecting our environment."

Mayors across the country are leading efforts to deliver the benefits of green schools to their communities. Some of the alliance initiatives include:

To develop and create public-private partnerships with a local business to allow schools to plant a green roof, install a solar garden, or start a recycling program.
To help school districts green existing facilities through the Clinton Climate Initiative's K-12 Retrofit Program.
To encourage state legislatures to create policies and incentives for green school improvements.
To engage in a national dialogue about green schools, green jobs, and green infrastructure.