For the Reporter

The King County Green Schools Program is recognizing 55 schools, including three from the Kent School District, for their conservation achievements.

Glenridge and Covington elementary school are being honored as Level Three schools for water conservation and pollution prevention efforts. Mattson Middle School is being recognized as a Level One school for its waste reduction and recycling practices.

Schools from 33 cities and 15 school districts in King County are engaging students, teachers and staff in reducing waste and recycling, and conserving water and energy, with help from the King County Green Schools Program.

The program involves students and school employees in learning about and practicing resource conservation.

“The King County Green Schools Program directly supports our goal of increasing the County’s recycling rate from 53 percent to 70 percent,” said Pat McLaughlin, director of the King County Solid Waste Division.

During the last school year, 75 percent of participating schools achieved recycling rates of at least 40 percent, and 15 percent of those schools reached recycling rates of 60 percent or better.

The program has served a growing number of schools each year, from 100 schools in 2009-10 to 216 schools (40 percent of the schools in King County outside the City of Seattle) in 2014-15. The program also assists school districts, with 12 districts participating.

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