https://newiprogressive.com/images/stories/S5/smokestacks-s5.jpgResolution passed Monday would commit the district to 100 percent clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050.

GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Area Public School District’s school board voted unanimously on Monday to adopt a resolution committing the district to 100 percent clean energy and carbon neutrality by 2050.

The school district’s resolution follows similar moves by the City of Green Bay, and UW-Green Bay, and is the third school district in Wisconsin to make such a commitment.

“As an individual school board member, it has been a privilege to be part of the team that drafted and passed our new clean energy resolution,” said Board Member Laura McCoy. “This is a bold move and I’m proud that our district and our community are leading the way in committing to a future where we make clean energy a priority for the sake of our current population – and for the generations to come.”

The resolution represents months of collaboration between Wisconsin Conservation Voters, school board members, and district administration to write a policy with student health and education at its heart.

Green Bay went further and surpassed other school districts by establishing a Capital Project Fund 46 resolution to begin earmarking dollars immediately for clean energy and conservation projects. The resolution also goes beyond other communities by designating a pilot project to be completed in the 2020-21 school year.

“For the last few years, we’ve been seeing an increase in local governments of all sizes committing to clean energy – that’s including schoolboards,” said Northeast Organizer Casey Hicks. “The district will be able to use energy savings to put money back into the classroom and can use future clean energy projects as a part of curriculum.”

Schools and local governments are often large consumers of energy and, in turn, release large amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Cutting down on energy usage and carbon emissions is a net benefit for the entire Green Bay area’s health, especially for marginalized communities that typically see higher rates of asthma and lung disease due to air pollution.

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Engaging voters to protect Wisconsin's environment.