Oregon Green Schools

The mission of the Oregon Green Schools Association is to assist Oregon schools in setting up, maintaining and recognizing effective, permanent waste reduction and resource efficiency programs that improve the school environment and community.

Whether your school's waste reduction effort is just getting started or is well established, the Oregon Green Schools Recognition Program is an opportunity for your school to receive educational support, guidance, resources, and recognition.

How to Become a Green School:

First, visit the Oregon Green School Website. Look over the site and explore the links and resources they provide.

Second, look at the bottom of this page to find out if your school is green, merit, premier, expired, or not yet involved in the program.

Third, make a connection with the Sustainability Coordinator and the active people in your school.  Often there are teachers, administrators, and parents who are already involved in greening initiatives and are interested in the support from you.

If you want to establish OGS status for the first time, contact the PPS Resource Coordinator and schedule a waste audit. (You will need this info to fill in the application and to set goals).

If you are an expired school, or you want to advance from Green to Merit or Merit to Premier level, please go to OGSA website and download the simple instructions so that you may conduct a waste audit on your own. These may also be done periodically throughout the year to give feedback on benchmarks. Your AmeriCorps Sustainability Coordinator is always there to help you with your waste audit if you need it.

Don't know where to start with your team or what projects are appropriate to take on? Check out our Best Practices list.

Does your school need to establish more green programs? You have a lot of support! You can visit our Resource Conservation page, OGSA resource page, and/or contact your OGSA coordinator.

Fill out the application using your list, a copy of the application, and the application companion guide.

How do I fill out my utility information? Contact your OGSA coordinator. This can be done when you hand in the application, but it is best to request this info before handing in the application so that you can use it to set goals. Your OGSA coordinator will also have garbage and recycling data.

Who is my waste hauler? Waste Management.

Avoid common mistakes. Don't: Answer the different sections by giving the same answers and switching the words around. Each section is asking a different question regarding the same topics of water, waste, and energy conservation. When in doubt, you can use the application companion guide. Don't forget about proper grammar, sentence structure, and spelling.

Remember, this is a guiding document to be used by your school for years to come. This document should be strong enough to stand alone if the champion of the application moves on.

Ready to turn it in? Email a copy to your OGSA coordinator. There is a 1-2 week turn around for review. You will either receive an email congratulations on your new OGSA status or you will be asked to strengthen some sections and will be provided with the necessary support.

Has your application been reviewed AND accepted? Email the final copy and mail a hard copy with you and your principal's signature. Send applications to FAM, attn: AmeriCorps through the PPS PONY mail system. To send your application through the mail, direct them to FAM, attn: AmeriCorps, 501 N. Dixon, PDX, 97227. Expect 2 weeks for your Award to be mailed from OGSA.

Start planning your celebration at an all school assembly!

Oregon Green Schools-Premier

Oregon Green Schools-Certificate of Merit

Oregon Green Schools

Expired Oregon Green Schools