Imagine if your school saved thousands of dollars on utility costs by cutting down on energy, harvested vegetables from its “lasagna garden” for school lunch, or fueled its buses with discarded cooking oils from local restaurants. Schools across the US are doing this and more – and have been honored for the first time by the Department of Education’s Green Ribbon School Awards program for their innovative “green” approach to education.
Secretary of Ed. Arne Duncan and students at Green Ribbon Schools Winners Announcement
On a morning visit to a DC school this Monday, Secretary of Education Arne Duncan announced the first ever winners of the Green Ribbon School Awards. Schools received Green Ribbons for implementing a strong, holistic approach to being “green” – these schools save energy, foster healthy school environments, and have strong environmental education programs. Nineteen of the 78 winning schools came from the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic.
Judging from many of the recent headlines, one might think that the clean energy economy in the Northeast was losing public support. According to a recent survey by the Yale Project on Climate Change Communication, however, public support for policies that promote clean energy and lower carbon dioxide emissions continues to be quite strong. 
