Tucson Unified School District (TUSD) in Tucson, Arizona, recently voted 3-2 to adopt a climate action plan, wrote Fast Company. The plan was created with the goal of cutting the district's heat-trapping pollution in half by 2030, relying on healthier and lower-cost energy sources, and decreasing air pollution on a massive scale by 2040, along with other game-changing new practices.
Students themselves helped chart the course of their own futures, noted Fast Company. Arizona Youth Climate Coalition (AZYCC), an environmental organization comprised of young people between 13 and 20 years old in the state, took the lead in coming up with ideas, crafting the plan, and presenting it to the district.
In the meeting where the school board's vote took place, debate ensued between students and officials alike about whether the plan was too costly, coming in at an estimated total of $900 million. The students responded by arguing how long-term savings from lessening their environmental impact would outweigh the upfront expenses. Fast Company added that AZYCC members also have plans to work with an independent consultant for a more detailed cost-benefit breakdown as implementation begins.
By 2040, TUSD plans to electrify its entire bus fleet and eliminate diesel buses, with schools fully electrified by 2035. Starting in 2028, students will have daily plant-based meal options, and the district aims for zero food waste and no single-use plastics by 2040.
To handle Arizona's extreme heat, TUSD will add cooling rooms to 95% of schools by 2027 and cut water use by 25% by 2035 with rainwater harvesting and drought-friendly landscaping.
Climate education will be integrated at all grade levels by 2027, with high school courses on sustainability and hands-on projects for younger students.
This plan is a win for the environment, the students, and the entire Tucson community. By making these changes, TUSD is reducing its pollution output, protecting the local community, and setting an example for other schools. Plus, they are listening to the voices of their own students.
Schools have the unique opportunity to set an example of how to protect ourselves and our futures by protecting our planet. When students grow up in environmentally conscious schools, they can carry that knowledge with them into the world and may even then be inspired to develop and implement innovative sustainability practices in their own future communities.
Right now, the U.S. government's Inflation Reduction Act is helping universities go green by giving them the financial support to build more sustainable, eco-friendly campuses. The IRA is also helping low- and middle-income families in Arizona update their HVAC systems to be more energy efficient.
That said, the future of these benefits is in some doubt after the 2024 election. President-elect Donald Trump has stated wants to discard or defund large portions of the IRA, so these tax incentives may face changes.
The benefits of the upgrades make sense regardless. By investing in these kinds of innovations, universities aren't just helping their own communities — they're impacting the industries their students grow into.
"This victory isn't just for our school district — it's a beacon of hope for young people everywhere fighting for their future," said student Ojas Sanghi, co-lead of AZYCC, per Fast Company.
"This is the most comprehensive climate action resolution that would be adopted in the entire country," Sanghi said to the Daily Wildcat, a news outlet managed by students from the University of Arizona. "We're really hoping not only to celebrate the change here and ensure that the change gets implemented here, but use this as a catalyst to drive real change elsewhere."
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