Green Camps Initiative

The Green Camps Certification is a building block to the benchmarks that outline best practices in sustainable camp development. 

Camps benefit by reducing their environmental impact, educating the diverse audience of campers and staff who attend their programs and saving money.

Your contributions support youth camps in accessing resources to demonstrate and teach the principles of sustainability to equip future generations to solve environmental challenges with critical thinking and problem solving skills.  

WHat have donations to GCI helped create?

Green Camps Cloud Community

• A cloud platform to facilitate any camps through Green Camps Certification
• Connect the community of Green Camps Members
• Calculators run formulas to learn about the environmental and economic impact of sustainable initiatives.

Sustainable Camps Road Trip

• 4700 Miles
• 11 Camps, 1 Middle School
• Presentation at the American Camps Association (ACA) offices in Indiana.
• Great conversations about the role of sustainability in the camp community.

Water Efficiency Webinar

• The Water Issue - Metropolitan Water District
• The Camp Water Solution - Conservation Generation
• Addressing Water Leaks - Green Camps Initiative
• Camp Shower Case Study - Blue Star Camps, NC

Composting Webinar

• Composting 101 - US Composting Council
• Case Study 1 - Camp Stevens, CA
• Case Study 2 - Frost Valley YMCA, NY
• Compost Education Resources - Green Camps Initiative

"No single mold of sustainability will fit the diverse needs of the camp community.  Instead, camps can use the resources and support of GCI to implement systems that work for their unique program.”

-Danny Sudman Founder

According to the American Camp Association (ACA) there are more than 12,000 camps in the United States who impact the lives of more than 11 million children and adults.  

Education as a Focus

The sole act of implementing sustainable systems at camps will not create long lasting change, rather we must educate the staff and program participants to empower them with the knowledge and tools to influence change.

The four principles of sustainability developed by Dr. Richard Murphy with Ocean Futures Society, influenced the model of the approach Green Camps Initiative takes in helping camps implement sustainable systems for visitors to observe, engage and gain knowledge to influence positive change back into their home communities.

Green Camps Certification

A step process to build a framework of sustainability to reflect the mission and goals of each unique camp.

Step 1 - Green Team

Step 2 - Conservation Policies

Step 3 - Sustinability Audit Survey

Step 4 - Implement an Initiative

Step 5 - Complete a Case Study

Learn more about Certification

Fiscal Sponsorship

Green Camps Initiative is a project of Community Partners, which is a duly registered public charity, exempt from Federal income taxation under Sections 501(c)(3) and 509(a)(1) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Community Partners offers expert guidance, essential services, and a strong dose of passion to help foster, launch, and grow creative solutions to community challenges.