TurfMutt Named an Official Education Partner of the U.S. Green Building Council

Science-based online lessons help teachers and excite students in K-5 about caring for green spaces, the family yard

News provided by

May 23, 2017, 08:55 ET

ALEXANDRIA, Va., May 23, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) has named TurfMutt, the environmental stewardship and education program for students in grades K-5, an official education partner.

"We are proud to see TurfMutt listed as an official education partner of the U.S. Green Building Council," said Kris Kiser, president and CEO of the Outdoor Power Equipment Institute and its education foundation. "Through TurfMutt's science-based lessons, students learn to be backyard superheroes who care for and defend green spaces, like their family yard. The program also encourages children to get outside and teaches them responsibility for our valuable landscapes. That mission supports the sustainability education message promoted by USGBC."

Educational activities for grades K-5 developed for TurfMutt by Scholastic, the global children's publishing, education and media company, will be featured on Learning Lab, USGBC's online platform for K-12 curriculum.

TurfMutt was recently featured in PARADE magazine for Earth Day, featured in the Wildlife Habitat Council annual calendar, and appears on the Lucky Dog show on CBS. TurfMutt is also an education resource within the U.S. Department of Education's Green Strides portal, the U.S. Department of Energy, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Outdoors Alliance for Kids, the National Energy Education Development (NEED) project, Climate Change Live, Petfinder and the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.

USGBC is committed to supporting sustainability education at all stages of a learner's life. Through USGBC's online platform, Learning Lab, K-12 teachers and school leaders are provided with comprehensive, project- and STEM-based curriculum to encourage student leadership, sustainability literacy and real-world action.

USGBC K-12 Education Partners are leaders, trusted voices and reputable providers of sustainability education for the K-12 sector. USGBC supports education partners by making sure they have the resources, knowledge and skills to produce top-notch education.

"With each new education partner, we diversify our community and grow as a movement," said Mahesh Ramanujam, CEO, USGBC. "The expertise that TurfMutt will provide to students of Learning Lab will be invaluable as we continue to press forward for a more sustainable, resilient and socially just future."

USGBC also provides online education to professionals who transform communities through sustainable design and leadership; and in support of LEED (Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design), the most widely recognized and widely used green building program across the globe. LEED is transforming buildings, homes and communities in all 50 states and more than 165 countries and territories worldwide. LEED is driving international green building practices with more than 90,000 projects participating in LEED worldwide and 2.2 million square feet of construction space certifying every day. USGBC estimates that nearly five million people experience a LEED building on a daily basis.

About OPEI
The Outdoor Power Equipment Institute (OPEI) is an international trade association representing more than 100 power equipment, engine and utility vehicle manufacturers and suppliers. OPEI is the advocacy voice of the industry, and a recognized Standards Development Organization for the American National Standards Institute (ANSI) and active internationally through the International Organization for Standardization (ISO) and the International Electrotechnical Commission (IEC) in the development of safety and performance standards. OPEI is managing partner of GIE+EXPO, the industry's annual international trade show, and the creative force behind the environmental education program, TurfMutt.com. OPEI-Canada represents members on a host of issues, including recycling, emissions and other regulatory developments across the Canadian provinces. For more information, visit www.OPEI.org.

About the Center for Green Schools at the U.S. Green Building Council
The Center for Green Schools at USGBC is making sure every student has the opportunity to attend a green school within this generation. From kindergarten to college and beyond, the Center works directly with staff, teachers, faculty, students, administrators, elected officials and communities to drive the transformation of all schools into sustainable places to live and learn, work and play. For more information, visit centerforgreenschools.org or find us on Twitter and Facebook.

About the U.S. Green Building Council
The U.S. Green Building Council (USGBC) is committed to a prosperous and sustainable future through cost-efficient and energy-saving green buildings. USGBC works toward its mission of market transformation through its LEED green building program, robust educational offerings, a nationwide network of chapters and affiliates, the annual Greenbuild International Conference & Expo, the Center for Green Schools and advocacy in support of public policy that encourages and enables green buildings and communities. For more information, visit usgbc.org and connect on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

Media contacts for OPEI
Ami Neiberger-Miller, Four Leaf PR, 703-887-4877, [email protected]
Suzanne Henry, Four Leaf PR, 434-972-7278, [email protected]

SOURCE Outdoor Power Equipment Institute