Green Schools Programs in the St. Louis Region

Published on Tuesday June 27th, 2023

A great way to get your local school on the road to sustainability is by joining over 200 schools across the St. Louis region and participating in a Green Schools program! Did you know that making your school greener can also promote mental, behavioral, and physical health? 

Get Involved: In the St. Louis region, Missouri Gateway Green Building Council and Missouri Environmental Education Association co-manage Show-Me Green Schools - a suite of three programs that provide structure, resources and recognition to support preK-12 schools in becoming a green school - no matter their starting place. Schools in the Metro East are welcome to participate in the Show-Me Green Schools programs. In addition, schools  located in Madison County, IL can find information about their local Green Schools program here. In the state of Missouri, some schools have been honored with the Green Ribbon Award, which is a one-time, national recognition of demonstrated excellence and innovation across all three pillars of whol school sustainability: (1) Reduce environmental impact and costs, (2) Improve the health and wellness of students and staff, and (3) Increase sustainability literacy. You can view the list of winners of this prestigious award here. You can find all past participants in the Show-Me Green Schools programs here.

Click on one of the topics below to learn about how over 200 schools are taking action on sustainability, and how your school can, too!

Vegetable GardensCompostingTrees and Native Plants

No Idling PoliciesLED LightbulbsEfficient BuildingsRenewable Energy

Whole School Sustainability Framework: Green Schools employ practices to reduce environmental impacts and costs, improve health and wellness, and foster effective place-based education. Based upon years of research by the Institute for the Built Environment at Colorado State University, and developed in partnership with the USGBC Center for Green Schools, the Whole-School Sustainability Framework details these three components and illustrates how schools can establish the conditions necessary to support their journey toward sustainability across all three pillars.