Environmental Equity Book

We produced this book, Environmental Equity: Closing the Opportunity Gap in Urban Schools, to help school districts in even the most financially strapped regions improve learning environments, lives, and achievement for all.

Environmental Equity: Closing the Opportunity Gap in Urban Schools

Written and supported by experts in urban school administration and environmentalism, Environmental Equity: Closing the Opportunity Gap in Urban Schools demystifies the work of sustainability in schools.

Healthy learning environments and high-quality school buildings are the keys to environmental equity. By leveraging sustainability strategies, these outcomes are possible. By improving indoor air and water quality, reducing solid waste, minimizing non-renewable energy usage, and providing nutritious food, urban schools can ensure environmental equity and close the opportunity gap for students.

Environmental Equity: Closing the Opportunity Gap in Urban Schools demonstrates how school districts in even the most financially strapped regions can improve learning environments, lives, and achievement of every member of a school community.

Written in three parts, the book explores:

What is Environmental Equity in Schools?

Provides a compelling overview and clear examples of what defines environmental equity and how sustainability in schools can help close numerous gaps in learning environments. Outlines the ways that sustainability programs can positively impact students, teachers, districts, and communities. Special attention is given to the challenges districts face when gaining support for sustainability programs, especially in environmental justice & food desert communities.

Achieving Environmental Equity through School-based Sustainability

Covers and outlines the initial sustainability projects that urban schools might have the most success in implementing to improve learning environments for students. Provides administrators and leaders with clear ways to measure & document success. Includes sample sustainability projects for school implementation. Explains how an organization like the Go Green Initiative (GGI) could support district efforts; and access to how-to resources available for schools that are pursuing sustainability.

Urban School Districts & Environmental Equity: An Inside Look

Baltimore City Public Schools • Camden City School District • School District of Philadelphia
These three districts share more in common than what might immediately come to mind. In this section, the book examines each district’s need for sustainability efforts and the keys for successful implementation of sustainability programs in all three. Learn how all three are models for recent sustainability success, including details about who they are, what they are doing, and their local environmental challenges. The section concludes with a Case Study of the Camden City School District & Go Green Initiative.

To purchase printed copies, please order from Amazon or contact GGI for more details.

Click here to read the book's Supplemental Resource Educating Students for Sustainability & Environmental Literacy and visit our Resources page to access tools mentioned in the book.