Two Issaquah schools – Creekside Elementary School and Grand Ridge Elementary School – have been honored for their resource conservation efforts from King County’s Green Schools Program, which has helped more than 450 schools cut waste since its inception in 2003.

“Each of these schools can be proud of how it involves students and staff in learning about conservation and improving conservation practices,” said Dale Alekel, King County Green Schools Program manager.

Success stories for each school can be found

here.

Both schools completed Level One of the program, which is focused on waste reduction and recycling. In addition to setting up effective recycling programs and achieving a recycling rate of 40 percent or higher, Level One schools complete at least one paper reduction practice, one lunch waste reduction practice and one practice involving durable products.

Grand Ridge recycles more than 60 percent of its solid waste.

Creekside, a new school that opened in Sept. 2010, is located in a building that is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design certified. Every day, Creekside custodian Dave Holbrook reminds students in the lunchroom about recycling and composting.