This December, Earth Team was excited to welcome back sustainability consultant Rilynn Misa from Environmental Innovations for a returning workshop on green school certification and student-led environmental action. Building on last year’s visit, Rilynn led interns through an updated session that showcased her unique career path and emphasized school sustainability efforts that directly support air quality improvement and pollution prevention.
During the workshop, interns were introduced to the California Green Business Network (CBGN) requirements for green business, and more specifically, green school certification. There are 17 requirements to become an entry-level green school separated into 7 sections: energy, pollution prevention, solid waste, transportation, wastewater, water, and community. After reviewing the requirements, it was time to evaluate the campus’ to see where SLZUSD schools land on the sustainability scale.
Rilynn guided students through a hands-on exploration of what it means to actually make a school “green.” Of course, recycling and conserving energy are key starting points but she encouraged interns to take it a step further by embedding sustainability into school culture. Interns learned how environmental stewardship can become a shared mission that engages students, educators, and administrators alike. They discussed strategies for reducing waste, conserving resources, and promoting healthy ecosystems both inside and outside the classroom.
After her lesson, Rilynn asked students to lead her around school and help evaluate their own campus through an air-quality and pollution-prevention lens. They identified opportunities to encourage alternative transportation to campus, prevent contaminants from leaving dumpsters and entering storm drains, and to overall promote healthier indoor and outdoor learning environments. These conversations directly reinforced ongoing Earth Team lessons on Tire and Road Wear Particles (TRWPs), non-point source pollution, and the interconnectedness of air and water systems.
By connecting the Green School framework to real-world environmental monitoring and restoration work, interns gained a deeper understanding of how policy, infrastructure, and student advocacy can work together to reduce pollution. Rilynn emphasized that meaningful sustainability efforts extend beyond individual behavior change and rely on informed student leadership to drive lasting, systems-level improvements on campus.
Earth Team interns left the session with practical tools and renewed motivation to apply green school principles in ways that support cleaner air, healthier watersheds, and more resilient communities. We are so grateful to Rilynn for returning to share her expertise and for helping our students see how their environmental learning translates into tangible actions.
