PPS Sustainability Initiatives  

A wide variety of sustainability-related learning experiences are woven into the everyday culture and the curriculum throughout the district. Please review the following areas in which we’ve already made progress.

District-wide Programs & School Board Policies

• In 2023, the PPS Board of Education enacted a revised District Sustainability Policy to indicate sustainable target areas throughout the district and a new Safe Routes to School policy.

• The Operations Subcommittee of the PPS Board of Education addresses sustainability topics on an ongoing basis.

• All schools within PPS are certified through Sustainable Jersey for Schools and have dedicated Green Teams who are working to make their schools more sustainable.

• In 2023, several administrators and educators from Princeton Public Schools attended a one-day conference focused on K-5 Climate Change Education at TCNJ. Curriculum professionals and teacher-leaders learned strategies for integrating climate change instruction across content areas and grade levels.

Energy

• The district uses EnergySTAR Portfolio Manager to monitor its energy and natural gas use and track the progress of energy efficiency upgrades.

• In 2021, all four elementary schools received upgrades to bring in more energy-efficient LED lighting.

• From 2022 through 2024, the district completed its goal of making the roofs on nearly all school buildings white, to better reflect sunlight and reduce the need for air conditioning. During these roof upgrades, the school's insulation was improved, helping to lower heating and cooling costs.

• In 2025, PPS installed state-of-the-art heating and cooling systems, including heat pumps and energy-efficient boilers, throughout the four elementary schools. PSEG's Direct Install Program covered 75% of the cost of these energy-efficient and cost-saving upgrades.                                    

• Over the past three years, PPS has hosted friendly competitions to turn off lights and power down projectors to reduce energy consumption. In 2023-24, Littlebrook Elementary School won with a 10-12% reduction in electricity usage. In 2024-25, Princeton Middle School won with a 3% reduction in electricity usage, and last year, Johnson Park and Littlebrook Elementaries won with 15% reductions.

Transportation

• At the start of the 2025-26 school year, PPS began transporting a limited number of students with its two new electric school buses, thanks to a generous grant from NJDEP. These buses use a dual-port DC fast charger, funded in part by a grant from the NJBPU and a Level II charger donated by NJ Clean Cities Coalition.

• In 2022, the district surveyed staff to determine which school(s) have staff with the most interest in purchasing or leasing electric vehicles. A total of 182 persons responded and demonstrated strong support for the district to seek grants and funds to bring EV charging to employees. Please review the survey results here.

• The district continues to seek grants and find other funding opportunities that could bring workplace charging or electrify its fleet.

Natural Resources

• In 2026, PPS will plant 90 new trees across six schools, thanks to a grant from the NJDEP.

• The district has naturalized two stormwater basins at Princeton High School: an EcoLab and Wet Meadow. Both are currently maintained by community volunteers and PHS staff and students. 

• Princeton owns a battery-powered leaf blower and uses it in courtyards and near school windows to reduce fumes and noise. In partnership with the Municipality of Princeton, the district received a $10,000 Sustainable Jersey grant in 2021 funded by the Gardinier Environmental Fund that provided this leaf blower and the opportunity to explore the transition from gas-powered landscaping equipment.

• Garden Educators across the district use electric mowers and leaf blowers to maintain their garden areas.

Materials Management

• Kitchen staff at all six schools collect food scraps for processing. Organic Diversion transfers the collected food waste to local farms for pig food or to Trenton Biogas, which converts it into renewable energy.

• The district uses greener cleaning supplies. The floor cleaner, glass cleaner, degreaser, hand soap, paper towels, and toilet paper used within PPS are all certified by Green Seal, indicating that they meet the highest standard for protecting the health and the environment.

• All elementary schools have a set of reusable serviceware available for class parties and PTO events.

• Princeton's elementary and middle schools all have share tables, designed to recover uneaten, wrapped foods from the cafeteria.

• The District donates excess food from meals to Share My Meals, a local nonprofit that fights food insecurity.