We at Northeast Foundation for Children (NEFC), developer of the Responsive Classroom approach to teaching, realize that like any organization, we create an environmental footprint in the normal course of our work. We are committed to minimizing this footprint in our local and national operations. In doing our daily tasks and meeting our long-range strategic goals, we strive to take into account our mission, economic concerns, and the environmental impact of our actions. Taking care of the environment in this way is consistent with the overall goals and values of NEFC and the Responsive Classroom approach.

NEFC’s environmental policy statement was developed by staff members and approved by our Board of Directors in 2008. As a result of this process, we recognized actions we were already taking to minimize the environmental impact of our work, and we began doing more. For instance, we:

• Print our publications on paper with recycled content whenever possible
• Support carpooling and use of alternative modes of transportation by staff
• Encourage ridesharing among workshop participants
• Use electronic means for correspondence when we can
• Consider energy-savings ratings when we buy office equipment and appliances
• Offer free access to articles from current and past issues of the Responsive Classroom newsletter online
• Use office technologies to reduce use of paper in our everyday work