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Standing Up for Healthy Green Schools and a Livable Climate this Earth Week

The Earth is burning and our schools are crumbling – investments in healthy green schools can help solve both problems.

As a result of human-caused greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, caused primarily by the combustion of fossil fuels, the global climate is now about 1°C (nearly 2°F) warmer than the historical climate in which modern civilization emerged. Every amount of GHG emitted into the atmosphere worsens the global climate crisis, leading to real and increasingly measurable risks to human and ecosystem health, to the economy, and to global security. The nations of the world agreed in the Paris Agreement to undertake efforts to limit global warming to well below 2.0°C above pre-industrial levels by achieving net-zero global GHG emissions by the end of this century. Meeting these international climate targets requires an urgent transition away from GHG emitting fossil fuels and toward clean, renewable energy sources and the more efficient use of energy overall.

At the same time, our nation’s public schools are drastically in need of improvements to ensure safe and healthy learning environments for students and working environments for school staff. According to the Aspen Institute, there are nearly 100,000 public PK-12 schools in the U.S. They are, on average, 50 years old, occupy 2 million acres of land, and emit 78 million metric tons of CO2 annually at a cost of about $8 billion dollars per year for energy. Investments in school infrastructure, including the replacement of outdated and ineffective heating and cooling systems, improvements to ventilation and insulation, the installation of rooftop solar, and the remediation of asbestos, lead, and mold will not only improve the school environment for students and staff but will also address historical injustices along the lines of race and class as well as contribute to achieving the global goal of stabilizing the Earth’s climate.

That's why this coming Earth Week (April 17-22), students, educators, parents, school staff and community members around the US are taking action to demand healthy, green schools now. 

[XXXX local unions have passed resolutions and are planning actions.

School A will be doing xxxxxxxx. Quotes.

School B will be doing xxxxxxxx.  Quotes.

School C will be doing xxxxxxxx.  Quotes.]

We hope you will join us during Earth Week to demand healthy green schools for our students and communities. Together we can save the world, one school at a time.

In solidarity, 

[Signatures of representatives from unions (local leaders, CJ committee chairs, members, etc) ]