Sustainability at OPUSD
Welcome to the Oak Park Unified School District (OPUSD) Sustainability Hub. As a moral imperative established by our Board of Education, OPUSD is committed to developing environmental responsibility, health equity, and global stewardship across all levels of our educational program and operations.
OPUSD is proud to be the first school district in California to receive the National Green Ribbon Award from the U.S. Department of Education and the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). Grounded in the Green School National Network’s GreenPrint framework, our holistic approach expands the definition of "green" to integrate environmental sustainability with systems of health and equity across leadership, curriculum, campus culture, and facilities operations.
Whether you are a prospective family exploring our schools, a local resident, a neighboring community member, or an educator from another school district, this overview highlights our key sustainability pillars and community initiatives.
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Solar & Renewable Energy
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Solar & Renewable Energy
- Renewable energy generation is a cornerstone of OPUSD’s climate commitments.
- Solar arrays are installed at every school campus across the district.
- The solar structures double as shade canopies for students in outdoor campus spaces.
- Excess clean electricity generated on weekends, summer breaks, and holidays is fed back into the local energy grid.
Organic Gardens
Organic Gardens
- Instructional School Gardens: Every school in the district maintains an organic garden program where K-8 students learn sustainable agriculture, soil percolation, hydrology, and farm-to-table gardening.
Monarch Butterfly Restoration
Monarch Butterfly Restoration
- Campuses maintain Monarch Waystations and participate in a Western Monarch Habitat Restoration grant program with the Ventura County Resource Conservation District.
Zero-Waste Initiatives
Zero-Waste Initiatives
- Zero-Waste Lunch: Encourages reusable lunch containers and refillable bottles.
- Hydration Stations: Refill stations on campus eliminate single-use plastics.
- Waste Sorting: Dedicated sorting bins available in all classrooms and lunch areas.
Composting & Organics
Composting & Organics
- Food Waste Diversion: OPUSD actively diverts organic waste across all district facilities.
- Kitchen Prep Sorting: Kitchen staff separate food prep waste for dedicated organic collection.
- On-Site Composting: An active industrial food composter operates at Medea Creek Middle School.
Poison-Free Grounds
Poison-Free Grounds
We prioritize student health and environmental safety by adopting clean, non-toxic, and plant-forward operational policies.
- Poison-Free Campuses & Organic Grounds: Groundskeeper operations follow an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) plan utilizing 100% organic fertilizers. The district strictly prohibits Round-Up, synthetic rodenticides, or cancer-causing chemicals.
- Non-Toxic Eco-Cleaning: Maintenance teams use independently certified Green Guard and OMRI-certified, plant-based cleaning products, degreasers, and floor finishes.
- Clean Air Policies: Vehicle no-idling policies are enforced around all school grounds to protect outdoor air quality.
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Additional Sustainability Practices:
Oak Park has the strongest sustainable, healthier, and safer cleaning program for all schools.
Link to the Green Policies
Link out to Cleaning and Integrated pest management
Add draught tolerant plants and potable water
HVAC
Shipping container buildings
Green Cleaning Products
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