Illinois Green Schools Project

An annual K-12 sustainability action and recognition program. We help educators engage students and school stakeholders in hands-on projects that improve health, efficiency, and environmental impact.

IGSP Schools complete three program stages to learn, design a custom sustainability project, and bring their design to life: 

1. Complete the IGSP Sustainability Workbook.
2. Execute a Sustainability Project.
3. Receive Recognition.

The IGSP Sustainability Workbook includes a sustainability self-assessment, building walkthrough, and project outline template.

Background

Since August 2025, schools participating in the Illinois Green Schools Project have been hard at work learning more about their school’s infrastructure and environmental practices while finding creative and impactful ways to prioritize sustainability across school culture, educational programming, and physical spaces. 

Throughout the school year, the 2025-26 cohort worked to assemble green teams, complete a self-assessment, building walkthrough, and project outline, and then execute a sustainability project at their school. 

As the school year comes to a close, we want to recognize all who were involved and reflect on the achievements and impact of their work. 

Green Teams included...

Elementary/Middle School Division:

First Place: Whittier Elementary School 

Second Place: Elmwood Elementary School

First Place - High School Division

Evanston Township High School

“The approach is simple, scalable, and highly effective, making it a model that can be replicated in schools and office buildings anywhere to drive meaningful and immediate Sustainability improvements”
– John Crawford, Green Team Leader, Evanston Township High School

Evanston Township’s Green Team led a large-scale effort to reduce waste by right-sizing classroom and office trash systems. By removing 350 excess garbage bins and standardizing recycling access, the school is eliminating over 64,000 plastic trash bags annually and saving an estimated $5,000–$6,000 per year in materials. This project reduced plastic bag waste, improved disposal habits, and demonstrated how simple, data-driven operational changes can create significant environmental impact across a large school community.

Check out the Evanston Township Project Profile to learn more!

“We want to reduce the amount of waste our school creates while helping our community by donating healthy lunch items.”
–  Whitney Young Green Team

Whitney Young Magnet High School’s Environmental Club led a 

data-driven project to reduce cafeteria food waste through the implementation of lunchtime share tables and Love Fridge food donation collections. By conducting pre- and post-implementation waste audits, students measured how redistributing unopened food items can reduce landfill waste while supporting community food-sharing efforts. Students recorded a 22.6-lbs reduction in lunchroom waste for the lunch period, with waste audit data showing significant recovery of milk cartons, fruit, and packaged items that would have otherwise been discarded. 

Check out the Whitney Young Project Profile to learn more!

The Whittier Elementary Green Team launched a snack-time composting pilot that diverted 160 lbs of food waste from landfills while building lifelong sustainability habits. In a school assembly led by volunteers from the local nonprofit Greener Grove, over 80 Kindergarten and 1st grade students learned about composting and practiced sorting food scraps like bananas and clementines. Each classroom received a five-gallon bucket with compostable liners and learned to properly dispose of snack time food scraps. Sixth grade Student Council members collected the compost daily, replacing liners and transferring waste to a larger outdoor cart for bi-weekly collection from WasteNot Compost. The program was shared through PTA communications, local newsletters, and presentations to district and village partners. 

Check out the Whittier Project Profile to learn more!

Elmwood Elementary launched a student-led waste reduction initiative designed to improve recycling systems, reduce landfill waste, and strengthen environmental literacy among students in grades 3–5. Students used clipboards, tally sheets, and reflection activities to document contamination patterns, bin placement issues, and gaps in signage. Using their IGSP Mini Grant, students sourced educational recycling stickers and posters to guide correct sorting in real time. They shared their learning with classmates and staff, using peer education to reinforce best practices and integrate sustainability into daily routines. 

Check out the Elmwood Project Profile to learn more!

This year’s projects ranged from diverting waste through recycling and composting plans, to LED Lighting retrofits, to making building upgrades to ensure access to safe drinking water.

We’re so proud of our schools for incorporating a diversity of perspectives in their projects. Green teams consisted of not only teachers and students, but also cafeteria, grounds, maintenance, janitorial and administrative staff, local business owners, government officials, and local sustainability experts.

If you’d like to read more about this year’s cohort and each schools’ projects, check out the Project Profiles of 2026! 

You can also view the recording from our 2026 Green Schools Celebration to hear our winning green teams present their projects!   

Projects impacted the lives of...