The U.S. Education Department has honored two metro Atlanta school districts and two schools for creating environmentally friendly programs.
The Cherokee and Cobb school districts, along with Cobb County’s Big Shanty Intermediate School and Gwinnett County’s Mason Elementary School, were named Green Ribbon Schools this week.
Cherokee was awarded for several measures that included building and retrofitting its facilities with energy-efficient light fixtures and low-flow bathroom fixtures and using recycled rubber for its playgrounds.
Cobb was cited for energy-saving measures that the district says has helped save about $6.5 million since 2008.
Big Shanty Intermediate School was awarded for participating in a farm-to-school program for local fresh food, creating learning gardens and efforts to discourage parents from letting their vehicles idle when picking up or dropping off their children.
Mason Elementary School was cited for efforts such as a program that encourages students to walk or ride their bicycles to school, getting most of its produce from local farmers and its participation in a recycling program.
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