“Greening Our Schools: A State Legislator’s Guide to Best Policy Practices” debuted recently at the National Conference of State Legislatures' annual Legislative Summit. Developed by the U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC), the toolkit is a guide for state lawmakers who are developing policy solutions that improve the health, productivity, efficiency, and fiscal responsibility of schools in their states. The toolkit is a product of the USGBC’s 50 for 50 Green Schools Caucus Initiative and sponsored by the Turner Foundation.

Kentucky Rep. Jim DeCesare, vice chair of the 50 for 50 program's National Advisory Council, and Kentucky Rep. Mary Lou Marzian co-chair the Green Schools Caucus in the Kentucky General Assembly. It provides a forum for information and action on green schools in the state legislature. Rep. Marzian, along with Rep. DeCesare and Kentucky House Majority Leader Rocky Adkins, co-sponsored a 2010 joint resolution in support of green schools and established the Green Schools Caucus in the Kentucky General Assembly.

The launch of the toolkit, and its peer-reviewed legislative menu of options for advancing a green schools agenda, supports state lawmakers that are working to develop and implement effective policy in their states.  

For more information on the “Greening Our Schools” toolkit, or to request a copy, please contact Nathaniel Allen at nallen@usgbc.org.

For more information on green schools, visit: www.greenschoolbuildings.org.