Several school districts in the region will be "greener" this fall, as new and continuing efforts call attention to the environment and are designed to teach children to maintain a healthy planet.

Plum Borough School District is launching a major energy conservation and recycling initiative, said Dennis McDade, assistant facilities supervisor.

The district has equipped three of its seven buildings -- Center Elementary, O'Block Junior High and the high school -- with energy-saving lighting and devices that reduce energy consumption in mechanical systems. The district will install these features in other buildings when future remodeling occurs, Mr. McDade said.

Plum students and staff will do more recycling this year, thanks to a program called Be a Recyc-Olympian, co-sponsored by Alcoa and Pittsburgh Sports Report. Plans call for each classroom to have a bin for paper, glass, plastic and aluminum.

Previously, the district recycled cardboard only. Plum's trash collector, Waste Management, has agreed to haul away the increased amount of mixed recyclables at no additional cost to the district, Mr. McDade said. Because schools will find it easier to recycle paper, the district will probably generate 50 percent less trash, he said.

Hempfield Area is also starting the school year with an effort to conserve energy and reduce waste.

Superintendent Terry Foriska, district teachers and maintenance officials are working together to plan environmental education at all levels.

"We're trying to make people more aware," said Walter Lehman, director of buildings and grounds.

In addition to launching a comprehensive recycling program, the district has a new energy policy that limits the use of electric appliances in buildings and urges staff to turn off unnecessary lights.

The district has already realized results from its new focus on energy savings. Following an assessment of energy consumption this spring, the district fine-tuned operating systems in all buildings. The result was $150,000 reduction in gas and energy costs over six months. Mr. Lehman projects that the rate of savings will be ongoing.

Environmental education and recycling have long been an integral part of the program at Forbes (kindergarten through grade 3) in the Penn Hills district. If an item can be recycled, Forbes has a bin for it, said Penn Hills parent Hilary Moyes, a longtime leader of the school's environmental activities.

Every classroom has a bin for recycling paper. In addition, the school lobby has containers for aluminum cans, six-pack rings, cell phones, batteries (including rechargeables), plastic, glass and ink cartridges. Christmas tree recycling is an annual event in January.

Rosedale Fire Department assists by hauling away recycled items to destinations for processing. Members of the community are welcome to deposit recyclables at the school.

Dr. Moyes, a retired chemical engineer and native of England, became involved in Forbes' environmental activities when her three children attended the school. Her two sons have since graduated from Penn Hills High School and her daughter will be a sophomore this fall.

More than a decade ago, the district designated Forbes as a "school of focus" for environmental education, featuring a butterfly garden, outdoor classroom area and a quarter-mile nature trail.

Although the district ended the "schools of focus" program last year, Principal Kristin Brown, teachers and the PTA Environmental Committee have made sure that the school's strength in this area continues, said Dr. Moyes.

All kindergartners learn about litter and recycling. First-graders study animals and their habitats. (Visitors from Rosedale Wildlife Center, including "Big Ben" the rabbit, are a highlight of first grade.)

Each second-grader follows the development of a caterpillar into a butterfly, then releases it into the butterfly garden. Third-graders examine plant life and can join the "green team" that dons green vests while performing recycling tasks.

"Every school celebrates Earth Day, but we do it all year," said Dr. Moyes.

Another way that school districts conserve resources is by reusing buildings. A case in point is the new Woodland Hills Academy in the Woodland Hills School District, which opened Aug. 3 in the vacant East Junior High building in Turtle Creek.

The state offers reimbursements to school districts that incorporate energy-saving features into new construction.

Officials in the Penn Hills district will take advantage of those incentives as it develops plans for its new high school and elementary center scheduled for completion in the fall of 2012.