One mother is getting schools across the nation and around the world to create eco-friendly campuses. While sitting at her kitchen table, that mom, Jill Buck, wrote down a step by step plan of action to protect children’s health from environmental risks.

“People are getting on board, literally, everyday and it’s not the result of any legislation or any payment, it’s just because they want to,” said Buck, a mother of three. “It’s not because they have to and that’s what encouraging to me, to know that there are that many people out there who want to protect children’s health.”

It’s called the Go Green Initiative, a free program with guidelines to follow that use five principles for teaching environmental responsibility at schools.
Generate compost
Recycle everything
Educate students, community, parents
Evaluate environmental impacts of every activity
Nationalized principles of responsible paper consumption

Founded in 2002, the Go Green Initiative unites parents, students, teachers and school administrators in an effort to make lasting changes in their campus communities. The first school to join was Walnut Grove Elementary in Pleasanton, Calif.

“You know the kids are becoming advocates and it’s very exciting,” said principal Bill Radulovich. “Our mission is really about stewardship, taking care of this world and turning it over to the next generation in better condition.”

Now over a million students and parents are registered members of the Go Green Initiative. It is reaching across the U.S. as well as in Europe, Africa, Mexico and Indonesia.

“I’m really not going to be satisfied until every school can see the program in their own language and make up their minds whether its for them or not,” concluded Buck.

For more information about the free program visit www.gogreeninitiative.org.