The district was one of about 40 education institutions honored for its innovative efforts to reduce its environmental impact and utility costs, improve health and wellness and ensure effective sustainability education.
The Iowa City Community School District is the only one in the state to receive the recognition.
"All this was possible because of years and years of right decision making," said Ben Grimm, grounds manager for Iowa City schools.
The district saw a 48 percent reduction of greenhouse gas emissions between 2018 and 2021, putting it years ahead of a goal of a 45 percent reduction by 2030. The largest component of the reduction is lower CO2 emissions associated with electricity purchased from MidAmerican Energy as well as the district's continued conversion from natural gas to geothermal heating, according to the report.
Two of the three utility companies serving the district have set aggressive renewable energy targets, according to a 2021 report from Design Engineers of Cedar Rapids.
Twenty-five out of 29 Iowa City schools have converted to geothermal systems, a renewable energy source that uses heat produced by the earth to generate electricity.
By 2024, the district's total emissions are estimated to be 6,346 metric tons of CO2, a 62 percent reduction from 2018.
Other initiatives that contributed to the district's recognition include:
- Working with Field to Family, an organization that connects local farmers with schools to source thousands of pounds of local produce annually for the school nutrition program.
- Converting kitchen appliances to electric.
- Every sixth-grader in the district participates in a weeklong "school of the wild" program to learn about the environment in an outdoor classroom that features prairie, lakes and forests.
- All secondary students are required to take the Earth and Space Science course, a portion of which is dedicated to learning about sustainabilities and how individuals' actions impact the earth.
- Environmental and sustainability education is embedded in the district's Advanced Placement Environmental Science class, social studies, geography, world languages and language arts curriculum at the secondary level.
- One to five acres of turf grass is converted to prairie and pollinator spaces annually through the district's prairie initiative.
The district is continuing to take steps to reduce its environmental impact, Grimm said. This includes "a lot of small stems," such as converting school grounds equipment like mowers and leaf blowers to electric.
"The challenges posed both by the pandemic and by climate change have driven home the importance of modernizing school facilities, embracing sustainability, prioritizing health and wellness, and improving learning conditions for students, especially in underserved communities," said U.S. Secretary of Education Miguel Cardona said in a news release.
"Our 2023 Green Ribbon Schools have raised the bar for sustainable practices, energy efficiency, health and wellness, and hands-on learning experiences that enhance students' problem-solving skills and foster a sense of environmental stewardship and civic responsibility," Cardona said. "I want to congratulate the educators, school leaders, students, families and advocates engaged in this work for showing the nation that any school in any community can strive to be a green school, and in doing so, empower the next generation to build a healthier, more equitable, and more sustainable nation."
©2023 The Gazette (Cedar Rapids, Iowa). Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC.
