LBUSD’s Newly Approved Sustainability Plan: Key Highlights for Our Community

LBUSD’s Newly Approved Sustainability Plan: Key Highlights for Our Community

On September 18, the Long Beach Unified School District (LBUSD) unanimously approved a districtwide sustainability plan aimed at meeting clean energy goals by 2045. This plan follows the Green Schools Operations Energy Policy 3510.1, a student-led initiative passed in July 2022, which focuses on transitioning away from fossil fuels and reducing water and energy consumption.

The new sustainability plan consolidates existing initiatives and prioritizes climate mitigation strategies, bridging engineering solutions with organizational culture and education. Developed with input from the Climate and Sustainability Task Force, school leaders, parents, industry experts, and the City, it reflects a community-driven approach.

As of December 2023, LBUSD has installed 7,400 kilowatts of solar photovoltaics and plans to add another 2,900 kilowatts across 16 sites. The plan outlines two main strategies: greenhouse gas reduction and programmatic solutions. 

Key Strategies

Greenhouse gas reduction strategies are categorized by priority:

• Priority 1 strategies include installing additional solar cells at 56 sites and replacing LED lighting at 11 locations. These initiatives promise financial savings to fund further efforts.
• Priority 2 strategies focus on electrifying air conditioning, kitchen, and pool heaters, as well as decarbonizing the vehicle fleet.
• Priority 3 strategies aim for long-term conservation, such as replacing turf grass with artificial turf, potentially saving up to 58.6 million gallons of water annually.

Programmatic strategies aim to foster behavior changes that support these reduction efforts, addressing issues like waste management through bans on plastic bags and styrofoam food containers.

Emission Scenarios and Implementation

The plan uses 2022 as a baseline, during which LBUSD emitted 25,067 metric tons of CO2 equivalent. It forecasts two scenarios for future emissions:

• “Business-As-Usual” predicts emissions will drop to 12,191 metric tons by 2045 without further action.
• “Business-As-Planned” anticipates a decrease to 9,519 metric tons if the new strategies are implemented, representing a 62% reduction from the baseline.

To ensure successful implementation, the district will adopt a five-step framework, which includes hiring a sustainability coordinator, setting measurable targets, and creating a public dashboard for tracking progress.

LBUSD’s commitment to sustainability will continue to be reported in future board meetings, highlighting the district's ongoing efforts to foster a greener future. For more details, you can read the full plan here.