Issues > July/August 2006 (#115) > The Top 10 Green Schools in the U.S.: 2006

The Top 10 Green Schools in the U.S.: 2006

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The school has included several environmental curricula, including Project Wet, Project Wild, and Hands-on Science in a variety of gardens on campus. East Clayton also takes advantage of an ecosystem-oriented curriculum for outdoor classes at nearby Clemmons Educational State Forest.

5) 5th Place: Conserve School (private), Land O'Lakes, WI; Score: 55.9
Located on 1,200 acres in the midst of lakes and forest and built according to LEED principles, the Conserve School immerses its students, at times literally, in the natural world around them. Having built his own kayak as part of the curriculum, David Mort, a recent graduate who spent four years at Conserve starting in its inaugural year, used a plumb-bob on a line and a GPS system to map the depths of nearby lakes. He ultimately loaded the information onto a computer where other students could add to it. As a member of the school's sustainable practices committee, Mort also joined in a feasibility study on windpower. "We looked up how much power a windmill would produce, whether it would be worth the effort, and how much energy is produced by different windmills around the state," Mort says.

Organic lunches, extensive, eco-sensitive procurement policies and pesticide reduction make up only a part of Conserve's mission, which is centered upon environmental education. Special weekly seminars and an environmental speakers series complement learning both in the classroom and out. Mort recalls rising at 8 a.m. one morning to join other kids and their English teacher with their kayaks, so they could read nature poems by Emerson and Edward Abbey (David's favorite), while out on the water. George Mort, David's father, was impressed by the professionalism of the staff, noting that with the help of geologist Paul McLeod, "David ran a seismograph last year as an independent research project." "Being a student in the inaugural class," says David's father, "was the opportunity to start something new, dedicated not only to the learning process but to the environment."

6) 6th Place: Ross School (private), East Hampton, New York, Score: 55
Relying on geothermal energy to assist its air conditioners, the Ross School is truly connected to the earth. Organic and local foods are served at the school's Café, vending machines are kept off campus, and the school recycles materials across the board. Kids are protected from breathing hazards through the school's elimination of pesticides, use of green cleaners and policy to keep buses from idling on campus grounds. Uniquely, Ross's cafeteria composts leftover raw and cooked food, taking it to local farmers from whom the school buys its produce. The school, however, is still on the move, seeking to save more energy by shutting down lighting and heating systems when not in use, and recycling more paper.

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