1. Educate students! This is the number one school of a role in going green: change the mentality and behavior generation next. Schools should teach students about global warming, climate change, renewable resources and all technologies based on these exciting about recycling solid waste and water, and green building.
2. Build Green. Make all renovations necessary construction or new buildings green. Green Building is the respect of green building standards such as LEED (Leadership in Environmental and Energy Design), administered by the U.S. Green Building Council. In responding to these standards can schools create a healthy environment conducive to learning while saving energy, resources and money
3. Change the lights. According to the U.S. Agency for Environmental Protection (EPA), if every American home replaced just one incandescent bulb with an Energy Star compact fluorescent bulbs (CFLs) in one year, it would save enough energy to light more than 3 million households. This would avoid the emissions of greenhouse gas emissions equivalent that of about 800,000 cars. The school represents the largest sector of non-residential construction and replacement bulbs would have a huge impact. For more information on the safety of these bulbs, see the article.
4. Reduce Paper. Minimize use of paper in documents distributed to parents. In communications where many parents can be made by e-mail. When printing is necessary, use both sides paper.
5. Recycle and reuse. Recycling can include collecting traditional recycling of paper, metal, glass and products, and composting combined a gardening program. Schools can recycle printer cartridges and earn money for the school to do so through organizations such as Planet Green. The schools can go further and involve the community in creating art projects as a tile mural from materials from recycled coffee cups wood chips, cracked China, stones, shells, beads and other non-porous items that normally would have been headed for the dustbin.
6. Grow a garden, and integrate gardening into the program. School gardens provide students with a wonderful botanical laboratory outdoors, as well as education in sustainable environments, local growing seasons, and the nutritional value of locally grown fruits, vegetables and herbs.
7. Stop idling. Rethinking student transportation. Idling buses and cars in parking leads to high levels emissions into the atmosphere, then set up the pickup and the return to minimize idling time. Schools or booster clubs can help creating carpools. Encourage students to cycle or walk.
8. Eat Organic. Calls caterers for meals for students that use local and organic livestock feed. Great for the environment, healthy children, and even an excellent learning opportunity.
9. Conserve Energy. Turn off computers at the end of the day. Many schools have computer labs large, and extinguish them, rather than leaving them in hibernation mode, can make a significant difference in electricity consumption.
10. Biodegradable cups and utensils used for class parties and snack time, keep a supply of biodegradable plates and utensils.
Sarita Douglas is the Co-Founder and Program Director of the U.S. Green Schools Foundation (www.usgreenschools.org). The mission of the U.S. Green Schools Foundation is to provide consulting services and grants to enhance the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of K-12 schools, and to enrich K-12 curricula by providing educational resources related to the energy efficiency and environmental sustainability of schools.
