Creating an integrative assessment system for green schools in Iran Hossein Meiboudi a, * , Akramolmolok Lahijanian a , Seyed Mohammad Shobeiri b , Seyed Ali Jozi c , Reza Azizinezhad d a Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Environment and Energy, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran b Department of Environmental Education, Payame Noor University, Tehran, Iran c Department of Environment, Islamic Azad University, North Tehran Branch, Tehran, Iran d College of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Science and Research Branch, Islamic Azad University, Tehran, Iran article info Article history: Received 23 October 2015 Received in revised form 31 January 2016 Accepted 1 February 2016 Available online 10 February 2016 Keywords: Green school Assessment Fuzzy analytical hierarchy process Fuzzy technique for order of preference by similarity to ideal solution Iran abstract Many assessment systems for green schools exist to guide schools toward environmentally responsible choices. To identify a nation's green schools, an assessment system must be developed for their selection. When green school standards are lacking, measures must be created, including an information model enabling decision makers to recognize these schools. The aim of this study is to create an integrative system for assessing green schools in Iran and to develop scientific support in school selection, in order to avoid hasty choices and to respect the selection of these schools. In this study, by using fuzzy multi- criteria decision making methods, the criteria of green schools have been gauged across 6 criteria and 15 sub-criteria, using a consistent testing methodology. This renders paired comparisons more reliable. Ghazanfari and Mikhailov methods were utilized. To evaluate practical applications, the developed criteria were used in assessing 5 selected green schools in Tehran. The integrative assessment system with proposed criteria showed that green schools 5, 3, 4, 1 and 2, respectively, have earned first to fifth rank in terms of proposed criteria for green schools. Establishing an assessment system and its appli- cation through methodology limits incorrect choices, removes the green schools' selection from the domain of non-specialists, restrains subjective methods, and puts selection into the hands of pro- fessionals and specialists with scientific support. Due to the need to communicate effectively, to engage experts and to address the complexity involved in the assessment system for green schools, the proposed integrative system was designed to assess green schools. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. 1. Introduction Current environmental problems are rooted in the lack of proper awareness and cultural weakness regarding the relationship be- tween man and nature. A wide range of environmental education opportunities have been incorporated in the curricula in schools worldwide (Hens et al., 2010). Effective school programs should not only help students to progress the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary for responsible environmental behavior, but also have the potential to spread awareness of the concept ( ^ Cin^ cera and Krajhanzl, 2013; Zhao et al., 2015). Under such circumstances, environmental issues have only belatedly been recognized in school activities worldwide (Hens et al., 2010). In 1992, twenty years after the Stockholm Confer- ence, the Rio Conference was held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The result was the preparation of a charter entitled Agenda 21. Ac- cording to Agenda 21, “(Principle 22) ... local communities have a vital role in environmental management and development because of their knowledge and traditional practices. States should recog- nize and duly support their identity, culture and interests and enable their effective participation in the achievement of sustain- able development” (UN, 1993). Furthermore, Chapter 36.3 of Agenda 21 states, “Education is critical for promoting sustainable development and improving the capacity of the people to address environment and development issues” (UN, 1993). In response to this statement, green school efforts have been initiated worldwide. For instance, the International Eco-Schools program was started by the International Foundation for * Corresponding author. Tel.: þ98 51 33870315. E-mail addresses: links.state@gmail.com (H. Meiboudi), lahijanian@hotmail.com (A. Lahijanian), sm_shobeiri@pnu.ac.ir (S.M. Shobeiri), sajozi@yahoo.com (S.A. Jozi), r.azizi@srbiau.ac.ir (R. Azizinezhad). Contents lists available at ScienceDirect Journal of Cleaner Production journal homepage: www.elsevier.com/locate/jclepro http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.jclepro.2016.02.004 0959-6526/© 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Journal of Cleaner Production 119 (2016) 236e246