President Biden’s agenda has a strong focus on climate change. He has constantly reiterated the need to take a whole-of-government approach to address the crisis. In November, Congress passed the Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act (IIJA)—the first step toward this vision. Policies from the law will help schools take climate action.

As one of the largest public sectors, schools have a substantial carbon footprint yet, at all levels of government, they are often left out of large-scale efforts to address climate change. With K12 Climate Action, we have learned about people on the ground doing the hard work to advance climate action in their local schools. With the IIJA, these local leaders—from students to school staff—will be supported in their efforts. Specifically, provisions in the law can help schools transition to clean energy and electric school buses to mitigate their carbon footprints, increase broadband access to build resilience to climate impacts, and ensure students have clean water to drink.

Buildings are a leading source of carbon emissions, and with 98,000 public schools, the education sector has a significant carbon footprint. Schools spend an estimated total of $8 billion annually on energy costs—the second-largest expense for districts. Improving energy efficiency and using clean energy in schools can help save money on operating costs while reducing carbon emissions.

Sustainability officer Tim Cole shared that his district, Virginia Beach City Public Schools, defines sustainability as “the triple bottom line, trying to balance social, economic, and environmental outcomes.” This approach has helped the district construct over 1.6 million square feet of LEED building space, including multiple LEED-certified elementary schools. In addition to reducing emissions and supporting student health, Cole sees schools as inspirational spaces that can prepare students for a more sustainable future. “We’re developing these future innovative leaders, and if they don’t see physical examples of this, how can they be the innovators we want them to be?”

Read the full article about schools taking climate action by Emily Katz at The Aspen Institute.