Rachel Gutter, schools sector manager for the U.S. Green Building Council, which supports the The 21st Century Green High Performing Public School Facilities Act, (H.R. 2187), said that "The typical green school saves $100,000 a year on direct operating expenses. In school terms, that's enough to hire two new teachers, purchase 200 new computers or 5,000 textbooks." That is exactly why Congress recently passed the 6.4 billion dollar bill aimed at improving the USA's school infrastructure but also by meeting increasing green needs.Funding will extend through 2015. According to Rep. George Miller (D-California), chairman of the Education and Labor Committee and a sponsor of the bill, the legislation makes schools part of the effort to revive the U.S. economy and fight global warming by creating clean energy jobs that will help put workers in hard-hit industries back to work. The Economic Policy Institute estimates that the legislation would support 136,000 new jobs.
A report put out recently by the American Federation of Teachers claims that it would cost over $250 billion to fully renovate and repair all of the schools in America. That brings up the question, "Is there really a need to fully repair and renovate the nation's schools"? According to the American Societyof Civil Engineers, the nation's schools infrasture would be given a grade of "D".
Beginning in 2010, schools receiving the funds will be required to use 50% of the funds to create projects that meet widely recognized green building standards. By 2015, schools will be required to use 100% of the funds toward that goal.
It has already been proven that building green will produce long term savings. Gutter claims that the investment will pay for itself in just a few short years. Studies are starting to show us that student production rises and absenteeism drops in schools that are built to meet higher green guidelines. Add to this the fact that thousands of new jobs will be infused into an economy that is hurting and you have a win-win situation. The nation and the eyes of the world will be watching.
