Cities, states, even the federal government are powering up the green schools movement. A dozen different states now have green schools recognition programs or green schools networks providing lots of resources to help schools go green.

The winners of our Green Dream Contest -- King Chavez Academy in San Diego and Berkeley High School -- have made exciting progress in just a few months. Berkeley High School’s Green Team undertook a school-wide garbage audit as one of its first actions towards reducing its waste. King Chavez Preparatory Academy is taking their waste reduction efforts to the next level, recycling more types of materials.

State Superintendent Tom Torlakson asked his Schools of the Future task force to make recommendations on innovative ways to create California schools that not only enhance achievement of all students, but are also centers of the community, and models of sustainability and efficiency. The task force has released its policy recommendations, and the future looks bright.

On May 13, three influential organizations released an important report, "Local Leaders in Sustainability: A Special Report from Sundance," that could have a big impact. The report offers an action plan for how local governments can accelerate the greening of America's schools for all the nation's children.

The "Green Star Schools" program has been running a pilot project to test green school certification and recognition at the Rosa Parks School in Berkeley. Read about the impact and success of "Green Star Schools" so far. Also: An interview with Deborah Moore about the Green Star Schools program.

"Green Ribbon Schools", a new program from the U.S. Department of Education, was announced Tuesday (April, 2011). It will celebrate schools that have made significant strides in greening, from curriculum to facilities to operations. The Green Schools Initiative has been piloting a similar program, "Green Star Schools" with great success at Rosa Parks School in Berkeley, California.