Prisons Gone Green: 14 Eco-Correct Correctional Facilities

Bernie Madoff's new home might not be a Manhattan penthouse, but it is LEED certified. (Photo: Federal Board of Prisons)

The environmental movement is going to jail.

Literally.

An increasing number of correctional facilities around the world, including many in the United States, are joining the march toward a greener, energy-efficient future.

CFLs in solitary confinement cells, rainwater collection systems to flush toilets, and solar-paneled roofs are just some of the eco-friendly habits embraced by the some of the planet’s prison industrial complexes.

Mother Nature Network has compiled a list of 14 green prisons around the world, including two that caught our eye.

Butner Federal Prison—North Carolina

Before gaining infamy as the medium-security home to Ponzi-scheme madman Bernie Madoff, this structure gained notoriety in 2007 for being the first LEED certified prison in the United States.

India's Tihar Central Jail might be red, but it wants to be green. (Photo: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime)

Green perks include an alternative fuel station, a parking lot for alternative fuel vehicles, and acres of energy-smart landscaping.

Tihar Central Jail—India

India’s Tihar Central Jail, long known for its massive overcrowding, is on a quest to become the world’s greenest lockup. Home to 11,000 prisoners—that’s twice the recommended limit—the jail plans to add solar power units, biogas plants, a prisoner-led recycling program and a rainwater harvesting system.

Scroll through Mother Nature Network’s entire list here.