What is Eco-Campus?
Eco-Campus is part of the Eco-Schools program which is an international program guiding institutions to integrate sustainability into campus. The Eco-Campus framework is run by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE). FEE is a non-governmental, non-profit organisation promoting sustainable development through environmental education. It has been running for over 20 years and spread in 58 countries, and is rather simple and feasible for implementation. It is also listed as a global model program for environmental education by United Nations Environment Program (U.N.E.P.). The Eco-Campus program consists of three structural elements. The first one is the Seven Steps Framework, second is the Eco-Schools Themes, and the last one is assessment for the Green Flag. In order to successfully achieve the goals, the seven steps must be carried out, and one theme must be chosen from ten objectives (biodiversity, climate change, consumption and waste, energy, healthy living, healthy schools, schoolyard habitats, sustainable food, transportation, water), after which a Green Flag will be awarded if the assessment is passed. Importantly, the process above is required to have staff and students involved. The US-Taiwan Eco-Campus Partnership was firstly founded in April of 2014 while the director of Environmental Protection Agency of US, Gina McCarthy, was visiting Taiwan. Only eleven schools were selected to participate, but now the number has increased over 120 schools.
The Partnership with Sheridan Park Elementary of Hollywood, USA