Schools are our children’s second homes. The moment a parent sets foot in a school and realizes how important this place is to their child’s health and development is oftentimes the moment a community advocate is born. For parents who have taken every precaution at home, it can be a moment of culture shock. Luckily, parents and schools across the nation are blazing a green trail towards creating healthy environments for students to learn and grow in.

Healthy Schools Network is a national non-profit working to create healthier school environments for all children. They coordinate a coalition of over 400 partners, provide a wealth of information and referral services, and coordinate the National Healthy Schools Day every April. Host your own event to raise awareness of the issue and launch a local effort to improve school environments.

My Healthy School is dedicated to providing teachers, administrators, parents and students with resources on how to improve the health of schools across the country. Learn how to serve the most nutritious school food, choose the safest products inside the classroom and out, and teach students how to play an integral role in the future of their planet.

Creating Healthy Environments for Children: Easy Steps for Homes, Child Care Centers and Schools is a 20-minute educational DVD which includes an informational presentation on how to protect children's environmental health, fact sheets, and quizzes for child care centers and schools, a community action guide, and more.

The Green Flag Program is a student-led program to make schools healthier places to work and learn. This flexible three-step program will help you advance your schools environmental behaviors and become a shining example to others. Achieve recognition for all the good work your school already does, and improve your program with the support of teachers and field experts across the country.

The Green Schools Initiative works to catalyze and support “green” actions by kids, teachers, parents, and policymakers to eliminate toxics, use resources sustainably, create green spaces and buildings, serve healthy food, and teach stewardship. They are working to leverage the schools sector to transform the school environment – and the markets that supply schools – to improve health and sustainability. They advocate that school boards and state policymakers develop comprehensive action plans and build the local capacity to implement these plans. Begin with their Sample School Board Resolution: Blueprint for Healthy, Environmentally Sound Schools.

The Go Green Initiative is a simple, comprehensive program designed to create a culture of environmental responsibility on school campuses across the nation. Founded in 2002, the Go Green Initiative unites parents, students, teachers and school administrators in an effort to make real and lasting changes in their campus communities that will protect children and the environment for years to come.

Indoor Air Quality – Tools for Schools is the US Environmental Protection Agency’s program to show schools how to carry out a practical plan of action to improve indoor air problems at little or no cost using straightforward activities and in-house staff. Their Kit provides best practices, industry guidelines, sample policies, and a sample IAQ management plan. The voluntary guidance can save schools time and money so that resources can be directed toward educating children.

Minnesota Healthy Sustainable Schools is an interagency, cross-sector collaboration helping schools on a variety of issues, such as health, performance, and sustainability. Even if you don’t live in Minnesota, download the Guide for Change and Assessment Tool for Change for a wide variety of resources to help you plan, implement, and track your program.