Page 30 - CleanIndiaJournal June Digital Issue

Focus

Green Schools Programme
Tracking sustainability in school FM

The Centre for Science and Environment’s (CSE) Green Schools Programme
(GSP) started in 2006 as a way to help schools change the way they
consumed resources with its ‘green audit’ — a self-assessment by students
of the use of resources, and a mapping of consumption and wastage, under
six heads, viz., air, energy, food, land, water and waste, that are measured
year-on-year. Over 17 years, its network has expanded to operate in 28
states and six union territories across India, boasting a robust participation
of over 8,000 schools.

Neeraj Kumar, Deputy Programme Manager and Tushita Rawat, Programme

Manager, Environment Education Unit, CSE simplify the audit process, and
showcase stories of sustainably managed schools.

In the end, each school is given
The process a sustainability rating from red, allowing them to monitor their
year-on-year performance and
Once a school becomes part of orange, yellow to green, with red participate in future audits.
GSP by registering on our website, being the least and green being the
they embark on a transformative most sustainable. The ratings are
journey that begins with collecting announced in an annual awards Audit parameters
data on their resource consumption. ceremony and the schools with the The Audit team from the school
Students actively participate in best green practices are felicitated. is responsible for collecting data on
various hands-on activities within resource consumption in the school
the school premises, meticulously Subsequently, schools receive a across six different categories: Air,
recording data and documenting personalized performance report Energy, Waste, Food, Water, and
practices across different sections. card that provides a comprehensive Land. Let’s examine the specific
After submitting this data to the assessment and recommendations requirements for each section of the
GSP portal, it undergoes thorough to maintain and enhance their green
analysis by the Green School practices. Additionally, schools Audit.
Programme team. gain access to their own dashboard, Air: This section focuses on the
school’s air quality and mobility
practices. It encompasses ensuring
Rooftop solar panels at Dr Rajendra Prasad Kendriya Vidyalaya adequate ventilation in classrooms
(with a minimum 5% window-
to-floor ratio), promoting non-
polluting modes of transportation
such as walking or cycling, and
encouraging the use of sustainable
transportation options like school
buses, public buses, shared autos/
cabs, or two-wheelers.
It also emphasises on the use of
clean fuels, such as electric or CNG
(if available in the area), while
discouraging the use of diesel or
petrol vehicles.

JUNE 2023•Clean India Journal
30 www.cleanindiajournal.com