Green schools foster a healthy environment for students and encourage recycling, utilize daylighting and natural ventilation systems, prevent mold, save energy through efficient lighting and water through efficient sinks and toilets, capture and use rainwater, nourish the children with locally-grown food and are furnished with low-VOC emitting materials. Green schools not only create a healthy environment in which to learn, they also reduce utility and operational costs. Cost is key motivator for school districts who feel that eco-friendly schools are too lefty for their taste: According to the US Green Building Council (USGBC), the average green school saves up to $100,000 each year in direct costs, a reduction of 35 percent. Beyond these green and cost saving measures, a green school also offers the students infinite opportunities to learn about science, math, social studies, economics and language arts through hands-on real world experience. The building itself and the surrounding environment become powerful teaching tools with lessons that transcend the textbook and offer memorable, applicable examples of concepts learned in the classroom.
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