Water Resources
CAMPUS RESOURCES
PHASE 1-2: BUY-IN, ASSESSMENT, AND PLANNING
GOALS, MANDATES, AND STRATEGIES
Water Goals, Mandates, and Strategies: This resource page makes the case for why water conservation matters, and lays out relevant goals, mandates, and strategies for school communities to consider.
ASSESSMENT AND AUDIT RESOURCES
District and Site Water Sustainability Audit: This tool provides a comprehensive audit for water issues across a campus, curriculum, and community.
Green Ribbon Application Questions (ED-GRS & CA-GRS): PI - E1B: Water Questions
CA Green Business Award: Water and Waste Water Section
TOOLKITS FOR PLANNING
Planning Template for Environmental and Climate Action Plan (ECAP): Water Section Only
Environmental and Climate Action Plan Strategies Menu (use bookmarks to navigate to water strategies)
Watersense: EPA recommendations for water efficiency and WaterSense labeled products for kids and commercial buildings. Click here for best management practices in commercial and institutional facilities. EPA also has a short document on water use strategies in schools.
Strategic Energy Innovations: Water conservation guide for how to implement a school campaign on water conservation.
Energy Star Energy Efficiency Student Toolkit: Overview on how students and teachers can get involved in reducing their schools energy use. Appendix A has a great example of a school water audit.
PHASE 2-3: IMPLEMENTATION, CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT, AND RECOGNITION
TRACKING AND MONITORING
Campus Sustainability Dashboard and Examples: This document provides an overview to what a Campus Sustainability Dashboard is, and why it is an important tool for advancing environmental and climate action in schools. The document also includes examples such as vendor resources, recommendations for dashboard data to include, and curriculum resource examples.
Water Tracking Template Spreadsheet: This spreadsheet is an example of how to organize a spreadsheet to track water use.
SUCCESS AND RECOGNITION
AWARDS PROGRAM EXAMPLES
Green Ribbon (ED-GRS & CA-GRS): PI - E1B: Water Questions
CA Green Business Award: Water and Waste Water Section
CURRICULUM RESOURCES
The San Mateo County Office of Education's (SMCOE) Environmental Literacy and Sustainability Initiative (ELSI) developed a number of supplemental curriculum resources:
Water WebQuests: 3-5th Sustainable Water WebQuest; 6-8th Sustainable Water WebQuest; and 9-12 Sustainable Water WebQuest
Curriculum: K-12 Water Solutionary PBL Unit
Living Schoolyard Month Guide: Curriculum guide spanning ages 3-18 on living schoolyards, or outdoor classroom activities. Guide has a Watershed Stewardship focused unit. In addition there are many relevant activities about the importance of green grounds and schools.
Strategic Energy Innovations: Free Water conservation guide for how to implement a school campaign on water conservation. Free previews of their project based sustainability curriculum and full units of study for a fee. Curriculum is geared towards skill building and career development through experiential learning.
Interactive Online Guide for students to practice their skills in interpreting real world data:
California Academy of Sciences:
3rd-12th Grade: How much water do you eat?
3rd-5th Grade: Global Climate Change and Sea Level Rise
3rd-5th Grade: Earth’s Water a Drop in Your Cup
Watersense: EPA recommendations for water efficiency and WaterSense labeled products for kids and commercial buildings. Click here for best management practices in commercial and institutional facilities. EPA also has a short document on water use strategies in schools.
Eco Rise: EcoRise develops the next generation of creative problem solvers by enlivening conventional classrooms with academically-aligned K-12 curriculum that introduce students to environmental literacy, social innovation and hands-on design skills. Green professionals serve as guest speakers and project mentors to help students solve real-world sustainability challenges concerning energy, water, waste, transportation, air quality, food and public spaces.
Infographics and Activities for bring water action across a school's community and culture:
Grades of Green: Water conservation tips and activities for your schools to start taking action
UN Sustainable Development Goals: Infographics and facts for a water quality campaign.
World Water Day: Downloadable graphics, facts and figures, and posters to promote World Water Day