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Leader Response Form deadline extended to April 15th!

The Green Team

Protecting our environment

The Green Team Links

We have compiled a list of useful resources below. If you know of additional organizations that you think should be added to our list, please let us know!

State & Federal Government Agencies

Organizations and Associations
  • Keep America Beautiful
    Keep America (KAB) Beautiful helps end littering, improve recycling, and beautify communities. KAB hosts Recycle-Bowl, which invigorates student participation in recycling through a national K-12 competition.
  • Keep Massachusetts Beautiful
    A nonprofit organization working to make Massachusetts communities clean, green, and litter-free places to live, work and play. Keep Massachusetts Beautiful offers programs to help volunteers take action to improve and beautify their own communities.
  • Secondary Materials & Recycled Textiles (SMART)
    Trade Association that promotes the reuse and recycling of used clothing, fibers, and wiping materials. 
  • Beyond Benign
    A Massachusetts non-profit focusing on Green Chemistry education, whose vision is to revolutionize the way chemistry is taught to better prepare students to engage with their world while connecting chemistry, human health and the environment.
  • Center for EcoTechnology (CET)
    Massachusetts non-profit organization that demonstrates and promotes practical, affordable solutions to the environmental challenges encountered in our daily activities. Provides environmental education and resources.
  • Carton Council
    Offers monetary grants up to $5,000 per school district, and grants for free recycling bins to schools to start carton recycling programs for school districts in Western Massachusetts. Contact Barbara Heineken at bheineken@recycle.com for the grant agreements. The Carton Council also offers “Best Practices Guide” that includes examples of successful carton recycling programs at schools, posters that explain effective source separation for school carton recycling programs, and a “Model Custodial Guidelines” document that provides an outline for custodial staff on establishing a carton recycling program.
  • MassRecycle
    Massachusetts coalition of individuals, governments, businesses, institutions and non-profit organizations dedicated to promoting and realizing the vital environmental, social and economic benefits created by reducing, reusing, and recycling waste materials, and by increasing the utilization of recycled products. Provides recycling resources and links for teachers, students and parents and sponsors a recycling listserve.
  • Northeast Resource Recovery Association (NRRA)
    A non-profit organization that provides cooperative purchasing programs, educational and networking opportunities, technical assistance and cooperative marketing programs for recycling. Their School Club has a multitude of school lesson plans, activities and links that are free to access.
  • The Green Schools Initiative
    Greenschools is a non-profit organization whose mission is to create Greener & Healthier learning environments through education and awareness.
  • The Green Education Foundation
    Provides educational resources that promote sustainable, impactful pro-green habits and practices in children, families, and communities.
  • Laboratory Safety Institute
    An international nonprofit educational organization for safety in science, industry, and education.
  • Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Foundation
    The academy offers toolkits and webinars as part of its Future of Food initiative engaging nutrition and hunger relief professionals to increase awareness about food insecurity while promoting access to healthy food and quality nutrition education in food banks.
  • The Metropolitan Area Planning Council
    The council offers customized, community-level maps that can help build an understanding of local food systems and related health and demographic information.
  • Eco-Schools USA
    A national program for grades PreK–12 combining effective green management of school grounds, facilities, and curriculum to empower today’s students for a sustainable tomorrow. Eco-Schools USA hosts a Green STEM Course, an online, self-paced professional development course, designed to increase knowledge about environment-based STEM education.
  • Green Schoolyards Resource Hub
    Green Schoolyards are multi-functional school grounds designed for and by the school community that offer places for students, teachers, parents and community members to play, learn, explore and grow. The Green Schoolyards Resource Hub offers tools for municipal leaders, administrators, school staff, parents, and community members to advocate for, implement, and steward green schoolyard programs.
  • Mass Audubon
    Mass Audubon’s Young Leaders for Climate Justice Program is a semester long environmental leadership training and civic action project which kicks-off with a daylong Climate Learning Intensive Program.
  • New England Aquarium
    The New England Aquarium offers a variety of programs and resources for schools including aquarium field trips, traveling education, and programs specifically geared for teens.
  • Tree-Plenish
    Schools can plan a tree-planting event in their communities to replenish the environment with the amount of paper that the school used during the past academic year. Fill out this interest form to learn more.
  • World Wildlife Fund
    The WWF’s Biodiversity Toolkit offers free downloadable resources and activities to help foster an understanding of the importance of nature and the interconnectedness of all living things.
  • Green SWoRD
    Green School Waste Reduction and Diversion Working Group

Waste Reduction
    • EPA WasteWise
      Schools can join the EPA WasteWise program to set waste diversion goals and receive recognition for their efforts.
    • EPA Food Recovery Challenge
      Schools can join the EPA’s Food Recovery Challenge and pledge to reduce waste food.
    • Food Recovery Hierarchy
      The EPA’s food recovery hierarchy prioritizes actions schools can take to reduce the amount of wasted food.
    • Green Team Food Waste Reduction Page
      The Green Team encourages all schools to reduce and divert food waste from the solid waste stream. This page is full of educational and informative food waste reduction resources, lesson plans, manuals and more.
    • MassDEP’s Textile Recovery Resources
      A collection of resources on textile recycling that includes a “Textile Recycling Education in Schools” section with a case study on a successful textile recycling program, as well as lesson plans for teaching and learning about textile recycling.
    • What You Can Do To Help Prevent Wasted Food
      This booklet from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) includes tips for nutrition professionals, teachers, administrators, parents, and students on how to reduce wasted food in schools.
    • Creative Solutions to Ending School Food Waste
      A case study of a Virginia-based elementary school that practices food recovery for donation and food scraps diversion in the cafeteria, and also incorporates educational lessons on these programs into classroom curriculums.
    • Food Scrap Recycling Truck Game
      Students can play on iPhones and iPads as a food scrap recycling truck driver, and collect and sort materials for composting.
    • EPA Tools to Reduce Waste in Schools
      A manual full of helpful tips on school waste reduction programs.
    • USDA Food Donation Fact Sheet
      Guidance on food donation from school cafeterias.
    • Rotten Truth About Garbage
      An in-depth look at the complex issues surrounding municipal solid waste.
    • MassRecycle’s Great Locker Greenout
      This toolkit offers suggestions for how to organize a locker “greenout” that maximizes reuse and recycling, and minimizes trash.
    • One Less Straw Campaign
      Schools can sign up and take the pledge to hand out plastic straws only if requested.
    • CEC Food Matters Action Kit
      Filled with educational resources and hands-on creative activities to inspire youth of all ages to prevent food waste at home, at school, and in their communities.
    • World Wildlife Fund’s Be a Food Waste Warrior
      Teach students about food waste and ways they can help prevent it with these K-12 lesson plans, activities, and resources. Receive a toolkit containing a teaching guide, slideshows, food audit instructions, discussion questions, activities, and printable posters. Also available in Spanish.
    • Find Food Support Tool
      This tool tool can be used to find your nearest food bank, food pantry, or school lunch program pickup site. To use the tool, simply enter an address into the search bar and information for the sites closest to you will be displayed. Data is provided by No Kid Hungry, the USDA, and FoodFinder.
    • Dickinson College Farm Videos
      Two videos engaging students about anaerobic digestion. Biogas and Compost for Food Waste Recycling describes the basics of anaerobic digestion systems for recycling food waste for energy production, and What Can Dragons Eat? teaches students which cafeteria waste materials are best for anaerobic digestion in a waste to energy system.
    • Too Good to Go
      Free educational tools and resources that can be used to teach students aged 10-18, as well as those of university age, how to value resources and to take action against food waste.
    • Seven Generations Ahead Resources
      The Green Locker Clean-Out Guide, which provides steps for planning and implementation, as well as best practices and tips, and the Going for Zero Waste at School Webinar Recording.
    • Closing the Loop: The Circular Economy in Schools
      This webinar recording from the Center for Green Schools will help you learn more about the concept of the circular economy, how your school system can get on the path to zero waste, what to look out for, and where the biggest impacts can be made.
    • Massachusetts’ School Meal Programs Share Table Guidance
      This guidance, from the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, describes how to implement a share table program to safely share uneaten packaged food and whole fruits in the cafeteria.
    • Food Sharing Tables – Guidance for Schools
      This guidance, written by the state of Vermont, provides instruction for setting up “sharing tables” in school cafeterias to reduce the amount of wasted food by sharing unwanted items with classmates.
    • K-12 Food Rescue
      Offers food tracking tools, podcasts, and initiative highlights that are motivating students across the country.
    • Food Rescue US
      Dedicated to eliminating hunger and food waste (keeping food out of landfills and reducing greenhouse gasses). They engage volunteers and food donors through their proprietary web-based app to directly transfer nutritious excess food to social service agencies serving the food insecure
    • PBS Kids
      Learn about the impact of food waste on the environment in this video animation from WNET. In the clip, students discover ways to reduce food waste. Refer to the accompanying discussion questions and teaching tips for ideas on using this video to help students consider ways to conserve food. For more environmental education resources, visit the Human Impact on the Environment collection. Grades K-5.
    • Guardians of the Food Galaxy
      The Guardians of the Food Galaxy Cooperative Extension Food Waste Team at Rutgers University developed this site, where schools can find lessons, videos, games, and resources for students and educators to become protectors of our food systems and our planet! The resources on this site merge climate change education with food waste reduction and plant-based eating initiatives. The goal of the program is to improve school administrations’ and students’ knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors towards adopting healthy and sustainable eating habits.
Reuse
  • RecyclingWorks in Massachusetts Furniture Best Management Practices
    Helps school facility managers find reuse outlets for used classroom furniture.
  • MassDEP’s guidance on Reuse & Recycling of School Furniture, Fixtures, & Equipment
    The MassDEP developed this resource to help schools inventory their surplus items and find companies to remove, reuse, and recycle them. It includes links to supplementary materials such a planning checklist, an inventory spreadsheet template, and a sample RFP for removal and reuse of surplus assets.
  • Re-Stream
    Provides green logistics planning and advisement for commercial offices to reduce waste by incorporating reuse, repurposing, and recycling services.
  • Cradle to Crayons
    Accepts and distributes donations of coats, shoes and other items to low-income and homeless children.
  • More Than Words
    Accepts donations of books, CD’s, DVD’s, and video games for their retail bookstores managed by foster care, court-involved, homeless, or out of school youth. Youth develop the employment skills, leadership, and self-confidence they need to successfully transition to adulthood.
  • Savers State of Reuse Report
    A report by Savers about opportunities to increase reuse of consumer goods, with focus on clothing and textiles.
  • Reuse This Bag
    Reuse This Bag offers an eco-friendly fundraising option… reusable grocery bags. The bags can be personalized with your organization’s name.
  • Devens Eco-Efficiency Center
    Devens Eco-Efficiency Center works with schools and businesses to preserves the value of resources by facilitating reuse opportunities for excess materials. The donated office supplies and furniture, packing materials, facility and safety supplies, and arts and crafts materials, can be accessed by schools, non-profits, and municipal entities for reuse.
  • The Great Exchange in Devens
    The Great Exchange has a wide range of administrative, classroom, and creative resources available for significant discount. The inventory includes new and like new supplies and furniture/fixtures. Follow their Facebook page to learn about new arrivals and special offerings.
  • Green Reuse and Recycling Organization International
    GRRO International works with schools and dorms across the country to reuse and recycle all commodities. GRRO has a surplus redistribution program that helps charities both domestically and internationally.
  • IRN: The Reuse Network
    IRN matches the needs of charities and nonprofits throughout the world with surplus furnishings and equipment from schools, universities, corporations and other large organizations.  

General Recycling
    • Save on Energy
      Online recycling activity for students to learn about what can be recycled. Follow Nico, the recycling ninja, and learn about recyclings
    • MassDEP Reduce, Reuse, Recycle Page
      Recycling, composting, reuse, hazardous waste management, electronics, green living, municipal assistance, bottle and can deposits, kids & teachers resources.
    • Recycle Smart MA
      For general guidelines on materials that can be processed by all Material Recovery Facilities in Massachusetts, and a searchable Recyclopedia which enables users to search on hundreds of individual items to learn how to properly manage them.
    • The Green Team Presents: How to Recycle at Home
      In this video, learn how students and their families can improve their recycling practices at home using guidance from Recycle Smart MA.
    • The Green Team Recycling and Composting Signage
      The Green Team has created easy-to-download signage that can be used for a variety of waste programs, including recycling, composting, share tables, and more!
    • Earth 911
      Find out what can be recycled in your community, locate haulers for various recyclables and other environmental resources.
    • EPA Educational Resources Page for Recycling
      A wealth of materials for teachers, kids, students, and researchers to develop an increased knowledge of recycling and other solid waste issues.
    • EPA Lesson Plans, Teacher Guides and Online Environmental Resources for Educators
      Educator resources on a variety of environmental topics.
    • Crayola ColorCycle
      Free marker recycling program that collects and repurposes old markers from K-12 schools across the United States. ColorCycle recycles components of the markers into wax compounds that are used in the manufacturing of asphalt and roofing shingles, and sends the remaining plastic to a waste-to-energy plant.
    • Super Sorter
      An interactive online game created by Keep America Beautiful that teaches players about Materials Recovery Facilities (MRFs), where mixed recyclable materials are sorted. The goal is to place the right materials into the correct sorter as they move down the conveyor belt.
    • Get Rid of It Right
      An online recycling game developed by Zero Waste Cambridge, where players correctly sort items into one of six options and add fun features to a digital park.
    • The Litter Letter Project
      This project combines art and trash to raise awareness about pollution from litter and to promote recycling and community action. So far, Sherborn and Melrose are the towns participating in Massachusetts, alongside towns from 15 other states and five other countries.
    • The Microplastic Madness Toolkit
      The toolkit includes lessons and activities on plastic waste reduction and climate action for grades 3-12 that align with the documentary, Microplastic Madness.
    • Mattel PlayBack
      A take-back program for Barbie, Fisher-Price, Matchbox, and MEGA toys for recycling. Where possible, materials will be reused as recycled content for new products. 
    • St Jude’s Ranch for Children Card Recycling Program
      Accepts donations of envelopes and fronts of used cards. 

Composting & Worm Composting

School Gardens
  • Massachusetts Horticultural Society
    Massachusetts Horticultural Society has several programs for schools, including the Plantmobile (a traveling plant science program), field trips to The Gardens at Elm Bank, and workshops for educators.
  • Massachusetts Farm to School
    Massachusetts Farm to School promotes education about farms and local food purchasing in schools by incorporating hands-on farm to school learning opportunities.
  • Massachusetts Agriculture in the Classroom
    Fosters an awareness and learning in all areas related to the food and agricultural industries. Also has curricula for educators that are designed to Massachusetts standards and education frameworks.
  • Using Gardens to Grow Healthy Habits in Cafeterias, Classrooms, and Communities
    This fact sheet from offers information on a variety of topics, including Food Safety in the Garden, Gardens as Classrooms, and Funding Your Garden.
  • ABCs of School Garden Webinar
    This webinar created by the Healthy Schools Campaign covers how garden-based learning positively impacts students, and how to get started and explore ways school gardens offer hands-on, experiential learning opportunities.
  • School Garden Resource Guide
    The Springfield Food Policy Council’s School Garden Resource Guide for Massachusetts schools includes a checklist for getting started, recommendations for which plants to grow, and examples of other school gardens in the state.
  • Longwood Gardens
    Longwood Gardens offers free Virtual Field Trips through live interactive video with their educators to engage students in discussion and problem-solving activities. Advance registration (at least two weeks before program date) is required.
  • School Gardens 101 Webinar Recording
    Hosted by Massachusetts Farm to School, this webinar explores how to get a garden program up and running successfully at your school, and covers such topics as site location, collaboration, what to plant, and how to organize care.
  • Neighborhood Forest
    An organization that gives free trees to families every Earth Day.
  • Harvest of the Month
    A free program designed specifically for classroom educators (Grades K-12). Each month they celebrate Farm to School education, food systems, and local food and farms by featuring a seasonal crop in detail. Upon registration, educators may opt to receive materials to share with students (posters & trading cards) and will receive an elementary- or secondary-specific monthly email newsletter with curriculum and resources linked to Massachusetts standards, activity extensions for the classroom, reading suggestions, and more.

Climate Change

Clean Air

Water
  • Project WET (Water Education for Teachers)
    Project WET is committed to educating children, teachers and communities about water education. Hands on activities and lessons that teach important concepts about water and conservation.
  • EPA Water Education
    List of websites directing you to lessons and projects for an educator to teach about water.
  • The Watershed Game
    An interactive game for 3rd grade students and older who want to learn about the watershed.
  • Water Resources Grants & Financial Assistance
    Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection’s financial assistance options are available for drinking water, wastewater, septic systems, wetlands, and watersheds in Massachusetts.
  • National School Lunch Program: Water Requirements 
    The United States Department of Agriculture requires that schools participating in the National School Lunch Program make free, potable water available in meal-serving areas.
  • BeCause Water
    BeCause Water finds solutions to promote water consumption and has helped many schools get access to water including a Fundraising Guide for Water Access in Schools.
  • Massachusetts Marine Educators
    Massachusetts Marine Educators provide resources in marine environmental education, STEM education, Ocean Literacy Standards, and other relevant topics of interest to formal and informal educators. They host several events each year for both students and educators, and publish a quarterly journal.
  • EPA WaterSense Program
    Educator resources and kid’s activity on water conservation.
  • The Stellwagen Bank National Marine Sanctuary
    Resources on this site can help teach students to develop responsible environmental behavior to better care for our oceans, focusing on this special resource off the coast of Massachusetts.
  • Massachusetts Water Conservation for Educators
    Help students become more aware of water as a precious natural resource and learn about ways they can take an active role in conserving it. This website contains a series of ideas, activities, programs and materials about water conservation for all grade levels.

Household Hazardous Waste

Mercury

Kids

High School Students
Educators Organizations
  • Green Schools Alliance 
    Empowers student environmental leaders with the skills, knowledge, and tools to address climate change and create healthy and sustainable schools.
  • The North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE)
    Provides a variety of resources for educators that include information about environmental education organizations, materials, events, employment opportunities, awards, and grants programs.
  • New England Environmental Education Alliance (NEEEA)
    Promotes quality environmental education across New England in partnership with the state environmental educational organizations.
  • Massachusetts Environmental Educational Society (MEES)
    MEES provides tools for environmental educators, including an annual conference in March, the MEES Observer newsletter, massmees.org, and sponsorship of Project WET.
  • Massachusetts Association of Science Teachers (MAST)
    Provides resources, annual conference and educational information for science teachers in Massachusetts
  • National Science Teachers Association (NSTA)
    NSTA is committed to promoting excellence and innovation in science teaching in all age levels. Members are able to access NSTA’s books and journals, find out about conferences and professional development opportunities, as well as stay informed about relevant news and events.
  • Farms to Schools
    These programs connect schools with local farms with the objectives of serving healthy meals in school cafeterias, improving student nutrition, providing health and nutrition education opportunities that will last a lifetime.

School Fundraisers
  • American Paper Recycling – American Paper Retriever 
    American Paper Recycling, formerly Abitibi Paper Retriever, offered a service promoting recycling of paper, cardboard, aluminum cans and plastic bottles to schools. However, we have recently learned that this company is unable to continue providing free paper recycling collection service. They have partnered with E.O.M.S. Recycling to remove the collection bins from your property by request at no cost. Contact E.O.M.S. directly for further information at 508-587-9686 or amarhoffer@eomsrecycling.com if you have an American Paper Retriever collection container at your school.
  • Bay State Textiles 
    Offers School Box Program to collect donated clothing, shoes, and linens to raise money for your school.
  • Helpsy 
    Offers collection boxes to collect donated clothing, shoes, accessories, and books/CDs/DVDs to raise money for your school.
  • Catie’s Closet
    Collects clothing and toiletries from the public and sets up a “safe, discreet place” for students to access supplies like feminine care products, clothes, etc. They are at 100+ schools in Merrimack Valley, Boston, and Western MA and have a map of all their locations/schools.
  • Bag 2 School 
    Offers fundraising collections of clothes, soft toys, bedding, drapes, belts, purses, and shoes.
  • Mother Earth Fundraising
    Mother Earth Fundraising carries a variety of eco-friendly products to help your school or non-profit organization ‘Raise Money Responsibly.’
  • Let’s Go Green
    Let’s Go Green offers a fundraising option that allows students to get involved with helping the environment at a grassroots level.
  • Funding Factory
    Consolidate school fundraising programs under one roof by recycling empty laser and inkjet printer cartridges and/or earn commissions by shopping online.
  • Recycling Advantage
    Recycling Advantage is a program by Advantage Cartridge not only recycles but they have many programs for schools and non-profits to actually make money doing fundraisers.
  • Terracycle
    Earn money for your school by collecting used food containers.

Contests & Awards
  • Massachusetts Envirothon
    The natural education program for high school students. Teams of five students represent their organization in a state-wide competition testing their knowledge about various environmental issues.
  • North American Association for Environmental Education (NAAEE) Student Award and Grant Programs
    A list of environmental award program opportunities for students and teachers.
  • Secretary’s Awards for Excellence in Energy and Environmental Education
    Commonwealth Awards
    The Commonwealth of Massachusetts Executive Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs award program for excellence in energy and environmental education.
  • Project Green Schools
    Project Green Schools is a membership program for students, educators, and administrators to engage in environmental and STEM education, service projects, and green initiatives. Their MA/RI Green Student of the Month recognition program celebrates outstanding youth-led environmental projects and initiatives by selecting three Green Students of the Month. Project Green Schools’ Green Difference Awards recognizes students, schools, teachers, business, government, and community groups for green and sustainable practices.
  • Annual Eco-Carpentry Challenge
    The Furniture Trust’s Annual Eco-Carpentry Challenge asks students to demonstrate their creativity and commitment to recycling by converting donated office furniture into repurposed products.
  • Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes
    The Gloria Barron Prize for Young Heroes recognizes outstanding young leaders, ages from eight to eighteen who have made a significant positive impact on people, their communities, and the environment.
  • Eversource Challenge
    The Eversource Challenge is a program for K-12 students living in Eversource electric communities. The Challenge invites students to showcase their knowledge of saving energy, energy-efficient technologies, and sustainability through various assignments.
  • President’s Environmental Youth Award
    The US Environmental Protection Agency honors a wide variety of projects developed by young individuals, school classes, summer camps, public interest groups, and youth organizations, to promote environmental awareness.
  • Roots and Shoots Mini-Grants
    The Jane Goodall Institute manages the Roots and Shoots mini-grant program to start, support, or celebrate the service campaigns of schools or students.
  • Captain Planet Foundation ecoSolution Grants
    Grants of up to $2,500 are available to help support environment-focused, project-based activities performed by the next generation of environmental stewards and change-agents.
  • Project learning Tree GreenWorks Grants
    Project Learning Tree offers GreenWorks! grants up to $1,000 to schools and youth organizations for environmental service-learning projects that link classroom learning to the real world.
  • The Safer School Garden Grant
    The Safer School Grant program provides the opportunity to schools starting a garden and can apply for a $500 grant. The grant page also has resources on “How to Start a School Garden”.
  • TREX Plastic Film Recycling Challenge
    The Plastic Film Recycling Challenge is for K-12 schools across the country to promote recycling plastic film at schools. The challenge begins each year on America Recycles Day, November 15, and lasts until April 15.
  • Whole Kids Foundation Garden Grant Program
    The Whole Kids Foundation grant program provides $2,000 monetary grants to K-12 schools and non-profit organizations to turn outdoor spaces into hands-on learning gardens that connect kids with food.
  • Youth Garden Grant
    The Youth Garden Grant supports school and youth educational garden projects that enhance the quality of life for students and their communities. The grant program is open to nonprofit organizations, public or private schools, or youth programs in the United States or US Territories that is planning a new garden program or expanding an established one that serves at least 15 youth between the ages of 3 and 18.
  • Green Strides
    The Green Strides website maintains a free collection of online resources and national grants. The
    collection is searchable by topic and resource type.
  • Ener-G-save’s Cooler Communities Education and Grant Program
    Aims to educate and empower students to save energy in their communities. Students create exhibits on energy efficiency topics and share them at a district-wide event. Participants are encouraged to sign a pledge committing to energy-related changes, which are tracked and converted into carbon savings. Participating schools receive grants of up to $5,000. A handbook on hosting a Cooler Communities Fair is available online.

Environmental Events
  • National Green Week
    Provides educational resources that promote sustainable, impactful pro-green habits and practices in children, families and communities.
  • Earth Hour
    Join communities, businesses and governments around the world by turning off your lights for 1 hour in March.
  • Great Massachusetts Litter Cleanup
    Keep Massachusetts Beautiful sponsor this annual statewide litter cleanup that takes place during April and May each year.
  • Earth Day
    Earth Day, celebrated April 22, encourages people from around the globe to participate in an environmental movement. Toolkits, media guides, teach-in/event registration along with many other resources can be found on the Earth Day website.
  • EPA’s Earth Day Website
    Offers many tips and fun ways to protect the environment and your health every day.
  • National Environmental Education Week
    Environmental events and projects take place each April 23-April 29, across the country in classrooms, after-school clubs, parks, aquariums, museums, and other formal and informal educational settings.
  • Arbor Day Foundation
    Arbor Day is a nationally-celebrated observance on April 24th that encourages tree planting and care.
  • International Compost Awareness Week (ICAW)
    The Composting Council Research & Education Foundation organizes the ICAW the first week in May each year. ICAW includes a poster contest and events to raise awareness about the benefits of compost.
  • Bike to School Day
    An annual event held each May to promote biking to school.
  • National Pollinator Week
    Celebrated one week each June, is a time to celebrate pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them.
  • Outdoor Classroom Day
    A global campaign to celebrate and inspire outdoor learning and play.
  • Walk to School Day
    An annual event held each October to promote walking to school.
  • America Recycles Day 
    Celebrated on November 15 America Recycles Day is a Keep America Beautiful initiative, to invigorate and educate people to recycle effectively at a higher rate.
  • Stop Food Waste Day
    Celebrated on April 27th, Stop Food Waste Day draws attention to the food waste epidemic and motivates people to create impactful solutions.
  • Plant Something Day
    Celebrated on May 15th, The Massachusetts Nursery and Landscape Association invites communities to pledge to plant something to beautify neighborhoods, reduce stress levels, and provide pollen or nectar for pollinators.
  • National Healthy Schools Day
    Celebrated in the 1st week of April, schools use this day to host a local activity that educates and highlights environmental successes that made the school green and healthy.
  • Green Apple Day of Service
    The Green Apple Day of Service recognizes and rewards projects that bring school community service and environmental sustainability together in one day of action.
  • Winter Walk and Roll to School Day
    The Massachusetts Safe Routes to School annual Winter Walk and Roll to School Day is celebrated on February 6 to encourage students and families to walk and bike to school to practice safe pedestrian habits and reduce environmental impact. 

Start Now!

The Green Team provides resources that make climate action accessible for community and school leaders.

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