Los Angeles, California – On April 21, 2025, the Los Angeles Unified School District (LAUSD) was officially awarded Level 2 AGZA Green Zone Certification — district-wide!
The award ceremony took place at the distinguished Belvedere Middle School campus in East Los Angeles and marked the culmination of a five-year sustainability effort led by Eddie Sanchez, Area Facilities Services Director of Maintenance and Operations; Manuel Enriquez, Operations Program Manager; and the American Green Zone Alliance (AGZA).
Manuel Enriquez Operations Program Manager, Los Angeles Unified School District, Maintenance & Operations Branch | Dr. Jamie Banks, PHD, MSc, Quiet Communities | Dan Mabe, Founder and President, American Green Zone AllianceThe journey to certification involved rigorous equipment testing across multiple brands of commercial battery-electric landscape equipment, comprehensive workforce training (including online courses, classroom instruction, and fieldwork with AGZA instructors), and full infrastructure upgrades. School district area managers, engineers, grounds maintenance crews, and equipment manufacturers all collaborated to establish charging infrastructure, retrofit work vans, create storage solutions, and redesign workflows to accommodate battery-powered technology.
The results are remarkable:
More than 2,100 pieces of gas-powered landscape maintenance equipment, including leaf blowers, line trimmers, hedge trimmers, edgers, and both large and small mowers, were retired across over 800 campuses, from elementary schools to high schools, and special facilities including daycare centers.
People, process, consistency, and patience became the mantra of this project. Egos were left at the door as everyone rallied around a common goal: building a cleaner, quieter, healthier environment for students, staff, and the broader community.
“This is the largest AGZA Green Zone Certification ever established. It was a team effort, and LAUSD should be tremendously proud of this simply massive achievement.”
Dan Mabe, Founder and President of the American Green Zone Alliance
All seven LAUSD operation areas were engaged and instrumental in becoming the largest AGZA Certified Green Zone in the USAThe LAUSD launched this effort from a deep commitment to becoming the greenest, most sustainable large urban school district in the nation — and possibly the world.
This project brings that vision to life while delivering wide-ranging benefits:
- A cleaner, quieter environment to enhance student health and learning
- Improved working conditions for grounds crews and staff
- Protection of natural resources and the environment
- Reduced operating costsHealthier, more efficient, and sustainable schools
- A stronger culture of environmental stewardship
LAUSD has introduced a powerful new paradigm.
The momentum and progressive leadership they’ve demonstrated are tangible and inspiring to stakeholders across the industry.
A critical aspect of AGZA Green Zone Certification is independent, verifiable data collection and impact analysis. Through AGZA’s ELF (Environmental Landscape Footprint) reporting, overseen by Jamie Banks, AGZA Science Advisor and President of Quiet Communities, the project’s environmental and economic benefits were meticulously documented.
The annual impact results are impressive:
Elimination of 120 tons of toxic and carcinogenic emissions
Elimination of nearly 900 tons of carbon dioxide — equivalent to the carbon sequestration of over 37,000 mature trees
A 50% reduction in noise for workers — and even greater reductions for students, staff, and faculty
AGZA expressed special gratitude to LAUSD Superintendent Alberto Carvalho, who attended in person to deliver inspirational remarks about the district’s roadmap for sustainability and the importance of clean, quiet, and safe environments for learning.
His presence underscored the magnitude of this achievement.
Superintendent Alberto M. Carvalho acknowledging AGZA Green Zone Certification Level 2 District Wide for LAUSD.Support also came from Christos Chrysiliou, LAUSD’s Chief Eco-Sustainability Officer, who announced the project’s completion at a board meeting and spoke at the ceremony about the many sustainability initiatives already accomplished — and the many more ahead.
Los Angeles Unified Chief Eco-Sustainability Officer Christos Chrysiliou addresses attendees about the districts sustainability goals.Other speakers included Los Angeles Unified Chief Facilities Executive, Krisztina Tokes, Los Angeles Unified Board Vice President Dr. Rocío Rivas, and Belvedere Middle School Principal Dr. Elsa Mendoza.
On April 21, 2025, we celebrated a landmark achievement at the intersection of sustainability, health, and education:
The Level 2 AGZA Green Zone Certification for the Los Angeles Unified School District — a new model for what a sustainable school system can be.
Watch a short video about the award ceremony:
Principal CEO at Gardenland Power Equipment & Co-Founder and CEO of Towa Industries Inc.
Roger Phelps joined STIHL Inc. in 2001 and is currently the Corporate Communications Manager. In that position he is responsible for creating and telling the STIHL story through integrated event marketing, strategic partnerships, sponsorships, and digital and social media with the goal of increasing the visibility of and affinity for the STIHL brand and over 10,000 STIHL dealers. He attended the U.S. Naval Academy and served 10 years in the U.S. Navy attaining the rank of Lieutenant Commander. He has serves on the National Association of Landscape Professionals Foundation Board of Directors, the National Association of State Park Directors Leadership School Board of Regents, and the Professional Grounds Management Society Board of Directors.
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