Written by: Kimberly White

Project Green Schools has officially launched the Race for the Planet: Virtual Home Edition. The program aims to inspire students, schools, and communities to catalyze positive environmental change. 

Project Green Schools is an award-winning organization focused on greening schools and developing the next generation of environmental leaders. They have been recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, US EPA, and were honored by former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry for their commitment to and encouragement of green education and awareness.

In response to increased safety precautions, social distancing, and home quarantines stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, Project Green Schools adapted its inaugural Race for the Planet to allow students to participate virtually. 

Race for the Planet: Virtual Home Edition will offer a series of challenges related to energy, waste management, food and agriculture, water, air, sustainability, and climate change from April until June. 

“We are thrilled to introduce a virtual program to engage schools, students and communities,” said Robin Buchanan, Founder and Executive Director of Project Green Schools. “This initiative provides a way for them to remain connected through experiential learning while promoting sustainability, conservation, and healthy lifestyles during this difficult time.”

Throughout the competition, participants will use their environmental knowledge and creativity to engage and make an impact in their schools and communities. 

Participants will compete in a variety of activities, including an upcycling challenge, sustainable scavenger hunt, and plogging. Throughout the competition, participants will need to use their environmental knowledge to engage and make an impact in their schools and communities. Race for the Planet: Virtual Home Edition provides schools with a fundraising opportunity for a local project to ‘green’ their school or community, as well as support K-12 environmental learning initiatives for students across the U.S.

To celebrate the launch, Project Green Schools hosted virtual opening and closing ceremonies on Facebook. The ceremonies featured appearances from environmentalists, athletes, and government representatives, including Phillipe Cousteau, Co-Founder of EarthEcho and son of Jacques Cousteau; Bill McKibben, Founder of 350.org; Jamie Margolin, climate change activist and Co-Executive Director of Zero Hour; Valerie Sununu, First Lady of New Hampshire; Jon Powers, Co-Founder and President of Clean Capital; Ashlan Gorse Cousteau, Producer and T.V. host; Skye Flanagan, Program Manager of the Center for Climate, Health, and the Global Environment (C-CHANGE) Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health; Ovie Mughelli, former fullback for the Atlanta Falcons and Founder of the Ovie Mughelli Foundation; Bob Perciasepe, President of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions; Chloe Maxmin, State Representative of M.E. House District 88 and Co-Founder of Divest Harvard; and Enes Kanter, Bostic Celtics center.  

To learn more about Race for the Planet: Virtual Home Edition or to sign up, please visit Project Green Schools.