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Green Ribbon Application Resources

Resources to assist schools in completing the California Department of Education's Green Ribbon Award application.

Pillar I - Environmental Impact and Energy Efficiency

Element A - Energy and Greenhouse Gases
Recommended National Resources

U.S. Department of Energy’s Efficient and Healthy Schools Campaign External link opens in new window or tab.

Energy Star for K-12 School Districts External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Department of Energy Federal Energy Management Program - Federal Requirements for the Procurement of Energy-Efficient Products External link opens in new window or tab.

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Portfolio Manager External link opens in new window or tab.

Database of State Incentives for Renewables and Efficiency (DSIRE) External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Department of Energy's Better Buildings Neighborhood Program External link opens in new window or tab.

Advanced Energy Design Guide for K-12 School Buildings External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Green Building Council - Center for Green Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Department of Energy Financing Energy Upgrades for K-12 School Districts External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Energy Star Buildings and Plants External link opens in new window or tab.

Energy Star Guidelines for Energy Management External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Department of Energy State Energy Program External link opens in new window or tab.

What You Can Do to Reduce Heat Islands External link opens in new window or tab.

Element B - Improved Water Quality, Efficiency and Conservation
Recommended National Resources

EPA WaterSense External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA WaterSense: Outdoor Water Use in the United States External link opens in new window or tab.

Recommended California Resources

California Department of Public Health - Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch External link opens in new window or tab.

Element C - Waste
Recommended National Resources

EPA WasteWise External link opens in new window or tab.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Hazardous Waste Self-Management Checklist External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Safer Choice External link opens in new window or tab.

Toolkit for Safe Chemical Management in K-12 Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Clean Energy External link opens in new window or tab.

ISSA Cleaning Industry and Management Standard (CIMS) External link opens in new window or tab.

Recommended California Resources

CalRecyle - School Waste Reduction External link opens in new window or tab.

Element D - Transportation
Recommended National Resources

U.S. Department of Transportation Pedestrian and Bicycle Safety External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Clean School Bus External link opens in new window or tab. (PDF)

Collaborative for High Performance Schools Transportation Plan Template External link opens in new window or tab.

Safe Routes to School External link opens in new window or tab.

Pillar II - Healthy School Environments

Element A - Integrated School Environmental Health Program
Recommended National Resources

EPA Integrated Pest Management in Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Creating Healthy Indoor Environments in Schools External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Radon Information External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Schools and Mercury External link opens in new window or tab.

Center for Disease Control Guidelines for School Health Programs to Prevent Tobacco Use and Addiction External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Managing Asthma in the School Environment External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Mold Remediation in Schools and Commercial Buildings External link opens in new window or tab.

Tobacco Free School District Certification

Recommended California Resources

California Department of Pest Regulation - School & Child Care Integrated Pest Management External link opens in new window or tab.

California Department of Public Health - Childhood Lead Poisoning Prevention Branch External link opens in new window or tab.

California Department of Public Health - Cleaning for Asthma Safe Schools (CLASS) External link opens in new window or tab.

California Department of General Services - Buying Green California's Guide for Sustainable Purchasing External link opens in new window or tab.

California Code of Regulations, Title 8, Section 5194, Hazard Communications External link opens in new window or tab.

Labor Occupational Health Program - School Action for Safety and Health External link opens in new window or tab.

California Department of Pesticide Regulation School Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Program External link opens in new window or tab.

Element B - Nutrition, Fitness, and Outdoor Time
Recommended National Resources

National Organization Agriculture in the Classroom External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Farm to School Program External link opens in new window or tab.

Recommended California Resources

Healthy School Environment External link opens in new window or tab.

Food Pantries in Schools

Transformative Social and Emotional Learning (T-SEL) Competencies and Conditions for Thriving

Pillar III - Environmental and Sustainability Education

Element A - Learning and Environmental Literacy
Recommended National Resources

Collaborative for High Performance Schools (CHPS) External link opens in new window or tab.

CHPS Criteria and Scorecard External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Sunwise Program External link opens in new window or tab.

National Park Service Interpretation and Education External link opens in new window or tab.

Hands on the Land (HOL) External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA President's Environmental Youth Awards (PEYA) External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Environmental Education (EE) Grants External link opens in new window or tab.

EPA Teacher Resources and Lesson Plans External link opens in new window or tab.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Service: Teaching External link opens in new window or tab.

Green Education Foundation Sustainability Lesson Clearinghouse External link opens in new window or tab.

Recommended California Resources

California Regional Environmental Education Community (CREEC) Network Website External link opens in new window or tab.

Element B - Environment and Sustainability Content Knowledge
Recommended National Resources

U.S. Energy Information Administration - Energy Kids External link opens in new window or tab.

Project Learning Tree External link opens in new window or tab.

Element C - Community and Civic Engagement
Recommended National Resources

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Bay Watershed Education and Training External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Department of Energy, Classroom Materials for Grades 5-12 External link opens in new window or tab.

U.S. Climate Resilience Toolkit External link opens in new window or tab.

National Resources Defense Council The Green Squad External link opens in new window or tab.

Facing the Future's Curriculum and Lesson Finder External link opens in new window or tab.

Recommended California Resources

State Seal of Civic Engagement

Questions:   George Garcia | GREENRIBBONSCHOOLS@cde.ca.gov | 916-322-0310
Last Reviewed: Wednesday, May 28, 2025
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