Origins Schilling campus is a National Wildlife Federation Certified Wildlife Habitat
Origins Education is a National Wildlife Federation Eco-School
NWF has identified a variety of areas of primary focus or “pathways” to help schools become an Eco-School: Energy, Water, Climate Change, Global Dimensions, Transportation, School Grounds, Consumption and Waste, Healthy Living, Healthy Schools, Biodiversity and Sustainable Food.
*Eco-Schools is an internationally acclaimed program that provides a framework to help educators integrate sustainability principles throughout their schools and curriculum.
The Eco-Schools program was started in 1994 by the Foundation for Environmental Education (FEE) with support by the European Commission. It was identified by the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) as a model initiative for Education for Sustainable Development in 2003. Currently, there are over 59 countries around the world participating in the program.
The Eco-Schools program strives to model environmentally sound practices, provide support for greening the curriculum and enhance science and academic achievement. Additionally, it works to foster a greater sense of environmental stewardship among youth.
Triple Bottom Line
Origins Education is founded on the basic principles of sustainability. We believe in doing business not just with profit in mind, but with the triple bottom line in mind. That is: people, planet and profit. We consider ourselves conscious entrepreneurs and part of the cultural creative movement.
Cultural Creative Values (or seeing the world in shades of gray)
Authenticity (your actions are consistent with what you believe and what you say)
Social activism
Idealism
Globalism and ecology (the big picture effects of our actions)
Consciousness (feeling empathy and sympathy for others, understanding different viewpoints, valuing personal experience)
Personal growth
Eco-friendly
Origins uses many green and eco-friendly cleaning products to protect our students and staff by reducing the exposure to harmful chemicals.
Locally Owned
Origins Education is proud to be a locally owned member of the Sustainable Business Council. We support locally owned businesses and understand the benefits that come from that support. We shop from locally owned stores over big box chain stores and utilize services from locally-owned businesses rather than large corporations.
Why Buy Local?
By shopping at locally-owned businesses for locally produced products:
You recirculate two to four times more of each dollar in the community than if you purchased from a nonlocal entity.
You keep more tax dollars in our community to support our schools, parks, police, and other services.
You support businesses that provide a large share of jobs in our community and are more invested in Missoula’s future.
You ensure a solid foundation for our nonprofit organizations because locally-owned businesses give more per dollar in sales than non-locals do.
You sustain vibrant, compact, and walkable shopping districts, which protects our natural resources and conserves energy.
On top of that, new research shows that communities with a higher density of small businesses have greater wealth, more entrepreneurship, more equality, higher voter participation, and even healthier residents.