Green Schools

Accomplishments

• 2023 BSD Waste Reduction Infographic (PDF)
• All schools compost and recycle.
• All elementary school use reusable utensils and durable lunch trays. All middle schools use compostable utensils and durable trays. All high schools use compostable utensils and trays. For a complete list of Nutrition Services conservation actions visit: https://bsd405.org/services/nutrition-services/conservation-initiatives/
• Several elementary schools participate in a School Food Share donation program, with more in the works.
• Eighty-six percent of Bellevue schools have a recycling rate of 50% or higher. Twelve schools have a recycling rate over 70%.
• The national average for lunch waste per school is 67 pounds of garbage per year. Bellevue School District’s annual average is 7.5 pounds per year. This is less than 12% of the national average.
• Some schools have converted courtyard gardens into student-managed vegetable gardens. Student environmental groups have taken bland landscape areas and made compost-fed gardens that grow either flowers or fruits/vegetables.

Green Genius Program – In Action Since 2012

All Bellevue School District schools participate in the “Green Genius” program which requires recycling, composting, waste reduction and education on conservation at each school. Most schools have a Green Genius team to assist with these initiatives.

Resources to Assist Schools

• Classroom Workshops, Curriculum, and Theatrical Assemblies: The City of Bellevue offers a wide range of in-person and virtual classroom workshops and curriculum on resource conservation for students. Free Environmental Classroom Workshops and Resources for Bellevue schools.
• Supplies: The City of Bellevue and Bellevue School District provide recycling and composting containers and signs to all schools, as well as posters about waste reduction, recycling and composting.

Bellevue School District follows the Washington State Sustainable Schools Protocol as a guide to building healthy, sustainable schools. Each new school that is built incorporates more features that encourage efficiency and provide a productive learning environment for our students.

Downloads

• Green Genius Program Fact Sheet (PDF)
• Puesta del Sol Garden Handbook – Example (PDF)
• Garden Handbook (PDF)
• Conservation Checklist for School Breaks (PDF)

School Gardens

The District not only supports but encourages the use of school property as outdoor learning environments.  School gardens are one way to use this space.  The following are things you must know before getting started:

Download Garden Handbook (PDF)

Gardens are voluntary and not District maintained areas.  It is up to the school staff and community volunteers to develop plans to sustain it throughout its use.

There are many types of gardens, all with benefits for outdoor learning; solar, earth, water conservation, wildlife, food and/or beautification.  Garden committee/teams should be engaged in all phases of garden design, implementation and maintenance.  Plans should be easy to implement and sustainable.  Gardens are not a single year commitment!

A team of adult individuals must be established with at least one school administrator as part of that team.  The school administrator is the volunteer’s contact, liaison and advocate for all requests and purchases (using District funding.)

Facilities must approve a suitable site for the garden/outdoor learning environment.