Sustainability & Climate Justice

We have accomplished so much this school year with the help of the PPS community. It has been a pleasure to watch as our amazing students, teachers, staff, community partners, and parents come together to make our schools a more resilient and sustainable place to learn. Their collective efforts have brought a wide variety of improvements and additions to our school district, including student-led climate projects, school yard improvements, energy use reduction, climate advocacy, community building, and much more.

This year we saw an incredible amount of student engagement through our brand new partnership/grant with the Portland Clean Energy Fund! Over 700 students participated in the Climate Friendly Public Schools program; 36 schools worked on over 65 student-led climate projects unique to their school community. This work could not have been done without amazing students and the guidance of the staff members serving as project advisors.

And we couldn't have told all the amazing stories from around the district this year without the amazing support of our team of AmeriCorps members this year who make this Newsletter come to life each month. A huge thank you to Hannah Skutt, Rosie Goity, Harper Eaton, and Phi Nguyen.

And thank you to each of you for reading all year long!

In this final issue of the year, you'll find:

• Updates on meeting PPS building and energy goals
• PPS school climate action stories
• Climate Action around Portland
• Tips for staying cool this summer
• Free fun for families this summer

Portland Public Schools (PPS), in partnership with PAE, Ameresco, New Buildings Institute, and Oh Planning + Design, is proud to announce the launch of our new Decarbonization Roadmap, a comprehensive plan and prioritization tool aimed at meeting the district’s Climate Crisis Response, Climate Justice and Sustainable Practice (CCRP) goals.

The policy aims to:

• Achieve 50% Reduction GHG of 2018-2019 baseline by 2030.
• Reach Net Zero GHG Emissions by 2040.
• Phase out all fossil fuel infrastructure by 2050.

You can find out more about the Roadmap, how it was created, how it works, and what it means for you in a series of short videos. Check them out!

• Part 1 – What is Decarbonization at PPS?
• Part 2 – What is the Portland Public Schools Decarbonization Roadmap?
• Part 3 – What Does the Decarbonization Roadmap Mean for the PPS Community?

PPS will use the Roadmap to identify and prioritize projects that will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and minimize other negative environmental impacts; improve its school communities’ health and wellness; and build a culture of learning, responsibility, and sustainability centered on its values of racial equity and climate justice. To follow along with progress of the Decarbonization Roadmap and to learn how you can get involved, visit pps.net/energy.

Thanks to the support of the Portland community, PPS will continue the critical work of rebuilding and restoring Portland’s aging school buildings. This bond will fund major modernizations at Jefferson, Cleveland, and Ida B. Wells-Barnett High Schools, alongside vital safety upgrades, roof replacements, and classroom improvements across multiple campuses. This bond builds the conditions for excellence; modern classrooms, safe facilities, and environments where students and educators can succeed. Improved school buildings support stronger attendance, deeper engagement, and better academic outcomes.

In addition, PPS bond funding is critical for meeting our district’s climate goals. Modernized high schools are energy efficient, all-electric, and have enhanced indoor air quality and natural lighting. As learning laboratories, they help show students the importance and benefits of a green, sustainable built environment.

Learn more about capital projects from the PPS Office of School Modernization.

In the Fall of 2024, PPS partnered with MESD (Multnomah Education Service District) and 4 other Portland School Districts to apply for the Collaborating for Climate Action grant, funded by the Portland Clean Energy Benefits Fund (PCEF). PCEF received over 50 grant proposals totaling $2.4 billion, for a grant pool that had $300 million available.

In December 2024, MESD was awarded the grant for $70.3 million in projects for school districts in Portland! MESD will be the prime grantee with PPS, Centennial, David Douglas, Parkrose, and Reynolds all receiving funds to implement clean energy projects.

This grant will fund projects at PPS including energy efficiency upgrades, clean energy infrastructure, and greening schoolyards.

This year was FULL of amazing climate projects and stories from around PPS. You can re-read all our published stories by clicking through this year’s list of Climate Justice and Sustainability Newsletters on our Get Involved page.

Another great way to track PPS school climate projects is through our brand new PCEF Project StoryMap. As we start to work through project report submissions, we’ll update each school’s story to represent the work students did this year to bring climate action to their community.

But it wouldn’t be a newsletter without one more story:

At the Vernon K-8 School in NE Portland, a student-led climate project is came into magnificent fruition this week! Students used their PCEF grant to bring in muralist Kyle Holbrook with Moving the Lives of Kids Community Mural Project.

Together they co-created a mural for Vernon School that repurposes trash from the campus and inspires responsible environmental stewardship.

Kyle’s mission with MLK Community Mural Project is to empower youth through art and education by equipping them with the skills to produce community art, where community members are engaged and participating in the art making process. At Vernon, students directed the vision and stoked their own creative and artistic skills.

Students cut out pieces of trash and collaged them into colorful letters, leaves, and feathers for their iconic owl mascot, on a green background. The mural reads, “Vernon Keep the Earth Green."

Already students are excited to continue to find repurposeful uses for the remaining trash scraps they’ve collected and the school’s culture surrounding sustainability, trash, and litter is shifting in a positive direction. Congratulations Vernon Climate Action Club for completing a wonderful student-led climate project!

SOLVE – a regional organization for litter cleanups – piloted a promising new program, Art for Action, this Spring in collaboration with a screenprinting class at Grant High School. Students had the opportunity to learn about SOLVE’s work, participate in a neighborhood litter cleanup, and use Photoshop to design their own posters to encourage their peers to get involved.

The result: dozens of inspiring posters and young adults experiencing multiple ways to take action for the environment through art and community activities.

SOLVE was delighted by the success of this pilot program and hopes to offer more Art for Action collaborations in 2026, so teachers, reach out to SOLVE if you’re interested in bringing something similar to your own classroom. Here are two examples of posters from this project. You can see the rest and read the full story here on SOLVE’s website.

We are lucky to live in a city that is committed to taking responsible actions to address climate change. You may have heard, or even been among the hundreds of community members who applied to serve on Portland's new 20 member Sustainability and Climate Commission to guide and assess the city’s efforts to eliminate carbon emissions.

We are delighted that the commission will feature some PPS students, alumni, and staff!

The Commission includes four designated spaces for youth, reflecting a deliberate commitment to climate justice by centering those who will bear the brunt of climate change. Young people—who are poised to experience its escalating impacts over their lifetimes—are often excluded from decision-making processes historically dominated by older generations with greater power and privilege. Prioritizing youth voices acknowledges both the urgency of the crisis and the need for equitable, future-focused climate governance.

Eesa Taylor, a junior at Ida B. Wells High School has been deeply involved with Climate Work within PPS and his school for the past 2 years, serving on the PPS Climate Justice Youth Advisory since last year, and helping plan the PPS Annual Spring Climate Summit. Leah Almeida is a student at Lincoln High School and co-founder of Constellation Climate Policy. She is an active youth advocate for environmental justice and believes climate policy is the most direct and effective way to solve the climate crisis. Bee Sloan and Sriya Chinnam also bring their PPS connections and climate advocacy work to the commission. Thank you to all four of you for your hard work and commitment to climate action in the city of Portland!

Applications are now open for the PPS Climate Crisis Response Committee (CCRC) with opportunities for students and community members to get involved. No previous professional experience in climate change or sustainability required!

• PPS student application
• PPS community members (adult) application.

Learn more about the Climate Crisis Response Committee here. Deadline to apply is June 30.

Once again, Portland is on track to experience a hotter than normal summer this year. It is important to stay informed and be prepared. Check out the following resources to make sure you and your loved ones are aware of signs of heat exhaustion/stroke, worker’s rights, cooling centers, fire bans, and assistance programs.

• Portland residents advised to prepare for possible extreme heat this summer

• Stay safe during the heat, Portland.gov

• Multnomah County – Help for When It’s Hot

Air quality is another environmental issue that impacts Portland and it can get worse in the summers with heat and wildfire smoke. As you enjoy the longer, warmer evenings this summer, always check air quality conditions and burn advisory status before you make a bonfire on the beach. Burning wood is one of the biggest sources of harmful air pollution in Multnomah County. See the DEQ page for additional info about what to do in the event of an air quality advisory.

• Multnomah County Wood Burning Restrictions

• Oregon DEQ Air Quality resources and advice

Mutual aid is the voluntary, reciprocal exchange of resources and support within communities, rooted in solidarity and compassion rather than charity. In the face of climate change collective care is vital—enabling us to share knowledge, skills, and resources to build resilience together. If you're interested in becoming involved in efforts like this, check out some of Portland's amazing mutual aid networks:

• Portland Mutual Aid Network – An all-volunteer group distributing food, survival supplies, and personal care products weekly to unhoused communities. They emphasize listening and responding to community needs through mutual aid practices.
• Crisis Kitchen – A mutual aid network offering a variety of items, from kimchi to diapers, through an online market. Volunteers can donate or sign up to help.
• PDX Free Lunch Collective – An autonomous group that builds sack lunches to deliver directly to tent encampments and communities of unhoused Portlanders throughout the metro area.
• Portland Outright’s Pride Mutual Aid Project – Provides support to LGBTQ+ youth, including gift card giveaways and other resources, fostering community solidarity.
• PDX Disabled Support – A mutual aid project encouraging disabled individuals to interact with and contribute to care pods and hubs, offering support in multiple languages.
• Portland Houseless Radicals Collective – A leaderless collective of individuals, mostly anarchists, all anti-fascists, and some have worked in non-profit houseless services, all have been or are houseless. They practice mutual aid and build communities.

Looking for fun, family friendly events and activities this summer? Check out what the City and community organizations have to offer!

Summer Free For All builds community through free, inclusive, and family-friendly activities that celebrate Portland's diverse cultures and local artists.

Join the Portland Placemaking Coalition and 20+ organizations committed to creating a more beautiful and connected Portland. This exciting day at the Leaven Community Center is filled with opportunities to network, attend workshops, and engage in meaningful discussions that empower our community to take action with a focus on regenerative agriculture, placemaking, community building, climate resilience, and land tending.

Saturday, June 21st 9:45am-4pm. Register Here!

Camp Info Night – June 8, 5:30pm-7:30pm

Camp Dates – July 7-11 for Grades 3-8; July 14-18 for Grades 1-3

All youth are welcome to co-create and share fun in Leaven's fourth year of summer camp! Together, we will learn and practice regenerative agriculture, environmental justice, and practices for community building to contribute to a neighborhood and world where all life can thrive.

Details and Registration

Join Columbia Slough Watershed Council and facilitators Ryan Gilpin of Nidus Consulting, and Julie Jansen of Earthbody Presence for a unique experience combining bird watching and forest bathing! This event is free and open to those 16 and older.

• Saturday, June 21, 9:30 AM 11:30 AM

• Columbia Children's Arboretum, 975 Northeast Meadow Lane