Earth Day and Eco Prisons

Prisons aren't the first place you'd imagine to be environmentally friendly. They're bureaucratic institutions that put security before all else and are typically very resistant to change. But budget crunches and a (seemingly) growing desire to teach real-world skills behind bars have some state prison systems going green on this Earth Day. It's a trend that makes sense and one I hope to see grow in the years ahead.

As is often the case with the environment, California is out ahead in the U.S. The state has two major solar plants in prisons and reduced water consumption by 21 percent last year through various measures. The Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation is a member of the Climate Registry.

Also no surprise is that a Scandinavian country is ahead of the U.S. in greening its prisons. The region is known for its progressive criminal justice policies, and Norway has a pilot program in which prisons are energy efficient and prisoners learn forestry, ecological farming practices and other green skills to take back to the community. Check out the video below for more on Norway's green prisons.