The EPA released their top 50 list of green power partners the other day, and many of the entries are nothing new. Intel, Whole Foods Market, and the U.S. Air Force are all within the top 10. Something to note however is one of the entries, the Chicago Public Schools system.

Ranked number 35 on the list for its purchase of solar power, it buys the most green power of any K-12 institution. The only other educational institutions in the list are the University of Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania State University, and Carnegie Mellon University. Both the State of Pennsylvania and the windy city and its suburbs are doing a great job in weaning themselves off of fossil fuels. I hope that by next year the list has a few additional entries within the education field, and other institutions take a hint as to what direction they should be heading.

In other, related news, the West Virginia Department of Education is holding a Sustainable Schools Summit on the 19th and 20th of September at Marshall University. I encourage anyone close by to attend such an important event as it will bring together leaders in education to discuss the roles that educational institutions of all levels have in creating sustainable campuses.

The more I research for this month's topic of Green & Sustainable Schools, the more I learn about the many projects going on around our country. There is a definite push for on-campus sustainability initiatives and green design of new facilities. 

Speaking of this topic, we are hosting an online event on the 25th of August covering many aspects of green school design and development. Look for our event page soon and get ready for a great event!