What is UPLIFT?
UPLIFT is Grades of Green’s School District Partnership program. UPLIFT works directly with school districts to identify appropriate programs and resources to support or supplement their sustainability/environmental education goals. These programs are deployed by a variety of campus users including teachers, after school coordinators, student clubs, FMO staff, and more! The use of Grades of Green’s programs as recommended through our UPLIFT Reports mobilize school communities and activates environmental projects across generations. We have the tools, mentorship, and resources, you have the campus power!
Why UPLIFT?
- Deploying Grades of Green programs at your district activates your school community to support your district’s environmental education and sustainability goals.
- Grades of Green’s NGSS aligned programs inspire Eco-Leaders of all ages to get involved! Participants develop lifelong leadership, project management, and community building skills with the bonus of addressing their school district’s environmental sustainability or education goals.
- Each program module includes a civic engagement project that tangibly works towards mitigating negative climate effectors, meanwhile campus metrics are tracked and reported upon successful completion of each program year.
- With 5 program areas and over 50 Eco-Toolkits, it can be tough to decide which Grades of Green path is best for your campus;
- UPLIFT consults with school personnel to help them determine a plan that suits their campus needs & goals!
- UPLIFT presents our pathway of programs to introduce your district to Grades of Green opportunities and answers any questions to get you started towards your Eco-Leadership!
Schedule an informational meeting to discuss your district’s Green Goals and alignment with Grades of Green’s program opportunities!
UPLIFT Resources
Resources for Districts: Check out these resources designed for district Eco-Leaders! Using these topic-specific resources, you can introduce sustainability or environmental education to your campus.
Sustainable District Resources
- Learning Resources
- Watch Part #1 of UPLIFT’s Climate Change Learning Module
- Check your understanding with Comprehension Quiz #1
- Watch Part #2 of UPLIFT’s Climate Change Learning Module
- Check your understanding with Comprehension Quiz #2
- How to form a Sustainability Committee: a guide to establishing a Green Team on your campus.
- Campus Greening Guide: to assist in development of ideas for the Green Goal.
- Environmental Social Governance (ESG) Explainer
Waste
- This handout contains an inventory of resources to support your campus waste campaign. Included are best practices for implementing waste sorting in your district, project ideas, and campus programs!
- This slide deck can be used to educate your campus users on waste sorting!
- Check out even more Grades of Green’s Green Team Sorting Stations!
Environmental Justice
- Environmental Justice is crucial to consider in all campus sustainability efforts! Utilize UPLIFT’s Environmental Justice Explainer and Environmental Justice Wordbank to enhance your knowledge and implement comprehensive projects.
Composting
- Get the dirt on compost with this handout! Learn about composting best practices and utilize this inventory of resources throughout your campaign.
- This slide deck can be used to educate your campus users on composting!
Edible Food Recovery & Donation
- This handout provides an inventory of edible food recovery resources, rules, best practices, and recommended campus programs! Help your district’s organics and recycling efforts here.
- Slide Deck
California Local Education Agencies (LEAs) and Waste Laws SB 1383
- Senate Bill 1383 is a California waste regulation that aims to reduce “short-lived climate pollutants” (SLCPs) like methane, hydrofluorocarbon, and black carbon that are released when we throw food and green waste into landfills. These gasses are super pollutants that have great warming power, they are produced because green and food waste is not properly decomposing in landfills, which produces the gas. To prevent the generation of these, this law requires that schools and local education agencies (LEAs) prevent, reduce the generation of, and recycle organic waste. Additionally, in 2024, schools and local education agencies with an on-site food facility are required to recover edible food.
- Go to CalRecycle’s Senate Bill 1383 School Waste Resource page to learn more!
- Here are some sample Model Agreements to utilize when making contracts with food recovery partners:
- Utilize UPLIFT’s Learning Resources:
- Check out what resources your hauler might provide to support your campus program with UPLIFT’s California Waste Hauler Inventory.
- Updates, additions, and edits are encouraged – let us know by filling out this form!
Review UPLIFT’s Waste Resource Handout for programs to implement directly on campus!
Additional Resources
- UPLIFT’s Procurement Resources Inventory
- UPLIFT’s Professional Development Inventory
- UPLIFT’s Built Environment Opportunities Resource
Organics Campaign
Get started on your organics recycling journey with Grades of Green’s Organics Campaign Guide for Districts!
Organics Recycling Resources: California Users: Check out our Senate Bill 1383 resources for specific local education agency (LEA) requirements and Graces of Green’s recommended resources for establishing food recovery, lunchtime sorting, and composting on your campuses.
We want to hear from you! To keep our resources at no cost to school partners, please share your feedback so UPLIFT can continue providing the support schools need to get green!
Has UPLIFT helped your campus? Do you have further needs or ideas? Let us know through this UPLIFT Feedback Form.