The Budget Ecoist- Eco Living on a Budget

Step by step, America is becoming greener. Citizens like us are making an effort to run a more eco-friendly home, while offices, companies and other places of business, like the Hearst Tower in New York City, use energy-conserving appliances, air conditioning, and heating units. Happily, schools are the next institution to turn green.

Since 2000, nearly 100 public and private schools have been certified as eco-friendly by the U.S. Green Building Council, according to an article in USA Today. 100 in 8 years isn't much, but 800 are still awaiting certification. Ohio has been a leader in the green school movement and is planning to build 250 green schools in the next couple years. Features of green schools across the nation include large windows, low-flow faucets, wind power usage, and more.

The federal government is getting in on the movement too -- in June, the House of Representatives sent a a bill to the Senate that would require new public schools to incorporate green aspects into their building. Sure, building a green school raises costs by 1-2 percent, but the difference is made up in lowered energy and water bills. The benefits of green schools are threefold--saving money, improved test scores in students, and best of all, saving the environment.

Are your local schools turning green? Tell us, and then tell us what you think!

Image from USAToday.com