Greening your school carries a wealth of
benefits; not only do you educate your students about the environment, why we
should preserve it and how to do so, but creating a green school makes for a
healthier school environment and saves on costs. Spending less on utility bills
and materials will mean more money for cash-strapped schools.
Dealing
with waste
Recycling can help to reduce the amount of
waste that your school sends to the landfill. When you recycle large volumes of
paper, glass and cans, you can get paid for your recycling efforts. Adding
another source of income to your coffers while reducing your waste is an
excellent way to go green.
Compost your vegetable waste and create a
valuable resource for your own gardens. You can also provide parents with
compost or donate compost to your local community garden.
Conserve
Make your school as paper-free as possible
and print on both sides when you need to make hard copies. Switching to
electronics like tablets will carry high initial costs, but you will have an excellent
return on investment as you will not have to buy books or print out notes.
Turn out lights when you are not using a
room. Use motion-sensitive lights at night rather than leaving lights on for
security reasons and try to reduce energy and water consumption wherever
possible.
Community
Garden
This is a great way to get a source of locally
grown, carbon footprint-free food. If you avoid pesticides and use the compost
you create from your vegetable waste, you can grow organic fruits and
vegetables too. Community gardening can really teach students about healthy
eating, nutrition and the biology of flora. They will be more enthusiastic
about eating salads and vegetables if they have grown the produce themselves.
Cleaning
products
Use vinegar and water to clean windows and
other surfaces. Vinegar is a great antibacterial and can be used to create
great cleaning products (see more here)
that are healthier too. When you use chemical cleaning products, they leave a
residue which then releases harmful toxic fumes and makes your school’s indoor
air unhealthy for students.
Rainwater
collection
Use rain barrels on downspouts to collect
valuable rain water which can then be used for cleaning and in your gardens.
Reservoirs on rooftops can be utilized for flushing toilets too.
Get
moving
Ask students to opt for greener ways to get
to school like walking or riding bikes. This will also help you to get your
students moving. In inclement weather or for students who live far away, the
bus, train or carpooling will help to reduce the carbon footprint of their commute.
Green
your scene
Plant trees to mitigate carbon footprints,
put plants inside classrooms to improve the air quality and create large
outdoor gardens. When making a garden, use indigenous varieties of plants that
are accustomed to the local conditions and require little additional care or
watering. Avoid lawns by using lawn alternatives. These lawn alternatives will
reduce the carbon footprint of moving and reduce the need for watering while
providing lush, green ground covering. See a list of lawn alternatives here.
This picture comes from David Dousa: http://www.flickr.com/photos/dousa/
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