Uniting the Collective Strength of Individual Action
Green Schools Alliance started because ONE little boy wanted to celebrate Earth Day in his first-grade class, and because ONE mother wanted to make EVERY day Earth Day for him. It started because ONE extraordinary astronaut, who balanced under the Earth on one toe to fix the Hubble said, “There are infinite complex life forms in this infinite universe, some survive and some don’t. I’m afraid we may not make it—what are YOU willing to do?”
It started with ONE school facility manager who thought that energy efficiency was the right way to challenge his community, and ONE business manager who understood the financial implications and the impact of a collaborative effort. It started with ONE music director who began a green team, ONE student who began a community recycling drive, and ONE head of school with the vision, understanding, and determination to change his small corner of the world.
On World Environment Day 2007, inspired by former Mayor Bloomberg’s initiative to reduce carbon in NYC, the Alliance recognized the leadership role that the education community could play. It started as an idea, a dream, then a possibility. Now, because of every single ONE who has brought their experience or curiosity to the Green Schools Alliance, this vision has become a reality. Well, we’re not taking small steps any longer. Uniting the collective strength of individual action is ONE BIG LEAP.
There are an estimated 100 million schools worldwide. As hubs of communities, schools can help to transform markets, policy, education and behavior, increase community resilience, mitigate climate change, and prepare citizens to think and act in new and creative ways. The Alliance recognizes the leadership role that the education community can play, as a critical mass, to help mitigate disaster.
Over the past decade, the Alliance has empowered an unprecedented number of schools worldwide to set and meet their climate and sustainability goals, and measure and report their impact. Today, through exciting new programs and tools developed with input from our members to meet the needs of the next decade, the Alliance continues to turn individual concern into collective action to protect our shared future.
Margaret Howard Watson, Founder and President