Going Green

going-green-746021.jpg by environmental action 365 

Every school year I embark on a pet project. This past year, to improve our teacher to student instructional ratio, I tweaked our daily schedule to reduce class size without hiring extra staff and without decreasing student enrollment. And I must admit it was a success. This year I vow to convert our school to a more environmentally friendly school. We’re GOING GREEN!

While teachers and students alike are already enjoying their summers, I’m busy researching and developing a green friendly curriculum and an environmentally conscious school policy handbook for staff and students. To be approved, like my other projects, my green proposal must honor two very important criteria. First, my eco-friendly proposal must adhere to the State Educational Standards. And secondly, it must not place an unnecessary burden on my school’s daily routine and  budget.

The first criterion is the easiest one to accomplish since there are plenty of great green curriculum materials out there that meet any State’s standards. However, the second criterion is the one that will create some challenges. I have to find a way to drum up support from the school’s staff because we all know that the hardest part of combating global warming is our inability to change our set ways. For the school to go green, our staff, students, and parents must buy into the idea and make significant changes with their habits.

Now this is the part where I stop writing and begin listening. I need you to help me come up with brilliant ideas on how I could pull this thing off. Please be creative and think out of the box. Once I compiled everyone’s suggestions, I will design the curriculum and policy handbook. I will then make it available for everyone to read and share.

So let the word out and have the world chime in so that we can create an environmentally friendly school program that’s design by the awesome people of the blogging community.

To get the ball rolling, here’s one of my ideas:

To save paper, I will require all the students to e-mail their homework. Students who don’t have access to computers or internet at home can use the school’s computer lab during lunch and after-school to do their homework.  

Ok, now it’s your turn…

Posted June 17, 2008 by Wat Da Daddy | Digg | Stumble | 16 Wat Da Comments

  1. Shilpan | successsoul.com Said,

    Chris -

    How about encouraging students to ride together. This does three things.
    1) Fosters friendship and
    2) Less pollution on the roads and on the campus
    3) Saves money to parents who are already filling pinch with gas approaching $4 + .

    Just my 2 cents.

    Shilpan

    Shilpan | successsoul.coms last blog post..How to Cultivate Mental Clarity and Happiness

  1. Vered Said,

    Great initiative. I wish more schools did that.

    I don’t know if it’s OK to advertise here, so please feel free to edit this part out, but I work for a startup - UpToUs - that enables classrooms to create an online community, and then share all the class information through that community - no paper at all. We offer a shared calendar, photo sharing, discussion groups, volunteering forms, homework exchange… UpToUs is like a combination of facebook for parents + evite + smugmug (photos) + google calendar + yahoo groups. All of these tools in one convenient platform, and again - NO PAPER.

    You can sign up and take a look if you’d like - we are still working on the site - or DELETE THIS COMMENT if it is too self promoting, and if it is, I apologize.

    UpToUs

    Vereds last blog post..Best Shot Monday: Would You Put THIS In Your Front Yard?

  1. Storm Said,

    i like the carpooling idea.
    it may be easier for you to organize from the school as you could map and suggest groupings for the ride.

    if the school does not already have environmental lighting, by changing over the cost savings may help you implement other solutions.

    what about banning water bottles from the school to reduce waste. students could use water fountains or reusable stainless steel water bottles.

    for a cafeteria, you could move to purely organic products to improve food quality and protect the environment. depending on where you are located, you could even start a community garden with vegetables and fruit possibly. classes could rotate to weed, care for and water the garden. produce could be available in the cafeteria by way of fruit of salads etc.

    storm

    Storms last blog post..a monday

  1. Overwhelmed With Joy! Said,

    Hmmm…let me give this some thought and get back to you. I wish you great success in this effort. :)
    Overwhelmed With Joy!s last blog post..4th of July Tutu

  1. Marelisa Said,

    Chris: Do they have textbooks on kindle (that little amazon gadget that lets you download books)? Of course, making sure that all of the lightbulbs in the school are the energy-efficient kind. I think it’s a great idea. If it goes off well you might even get national recognition for your project.

    Marelisas last blog post..Get Out the Balloons - Choice for New Blog of the Week

  1. RC Said,

    Is there any way to have all testing done online, versus via paper?

    RCs last blog post..More flooding

  1. MizFit Said,

    loved the carpooling and encouraging all the kid drives who can to use their bikes!

    MizFits last blog post..Tuesday Trends. (it’s a long one, folks. grab a healthy snack and yer water bottle)

  1. Urban Panther Said,

    Will work on some green ideas…obvious one being that double sided printing is a must, if you aren’t already doing that. However, something struck me with your suggestion about all students having to email their homework. I know my teenagers needed to come home for a hour or so of downtime..not to mention part time jobs and sports events…before doing their homework. For the kids that do not have computers or internet access at home, would this not mean having to stay at school until it’s done, so it can be emailed, thus working against your ‘no additional burden’ criteria? Unless you are referring only to major projects which gives them plenty of lead time. Just a thought.

  1. Sandy (Momisodes) Said,

    Like RC, I like the idea of testing online or computerized testing. Saves a ton of paper and makes grading easier. I also love the idea of carpooling or having kids who live near one another, buddy up and either walk to school together or carpool.

    Sandy (Momisodes)s last blog post..“YES”…Sort of

  1. Robin Said,

    Hi Chris - you have probably already thought of these things, but:
    recycling program eg paper, food scraps, glass, drink cans
    school compost heap
    school veggie garden
    plant some more trees and bushes if you can
    some sort of fuel usage study in the curriculum - are windows/doors being left open in winter? (or something)
    look at wastage from the canteen - eg packaging

    Robins last blog post..Friday the 13th.

  1. Barbara Swafford Said,

    I love to practice being green, Here are a few ideas to add to the other great ones.

    1) Use smartstrips (I think that’s what they’re called) to make sure all of the power is turned off to the computers at the end of the day. (apparently even if they’re on standby, they are still drawing electricity)
    2) If paper has to be used, recycle it by using the reverse side
    3) Set up recycling stations in the school for paper, pop cans, glass bottles, batteries, cardboard, print cartridges, plastic bottles, etc.
    4) Turn the water heaters down
    5) Use water reduction faucets (to reduce water usage)
    6) Set up a composting station/class to teach children how many food items (not meats) can be composted to create an end product (compost - which could be used on the school grounds) Grass clippings are great to compost too.
    7) Dressing in vintage clothing is the rage now. Encourage students to shop vintage stores or to trade clothes instead of buying new ones just because they don’t like them any more. Have “vintage” Fridays or…..
    8.) If paper is purchased, only buy recycled products.
    9) Set up tours of local recycling centers to show students how many products can be recycled, reused, and reclaimed.
    10) Some items which can be recycled are often are money earners too. Check with local metal recyclers to see what they’re paying per pound - this usually applies to metals such as brass, copper, steel, etc.

    Good luck! I’ll be looking forward to your final “proposal”.

    Barbara Swaffords last blog post..Blogs Aren’t Just For Boys Anymore

  1. Natural Said,

    proofread all work on the computer instead of printing it out on paper and then proofreading.
    use scrap paper
    don’t litter

    Naturals last blog post..Do You Suffer From Affluenza?

  1. MizFit Said,

    wow.

    great idea here for your classroom AND the rest of us!

  1. Natalia Said,

    I love this idea. What a great position to be in, to be able to implement such awesome changes. I really hope it goes over well for you. As far as suggestions go… obviously the recycling programs and the saving electricity by making sure everything is turned off at night are good ideas. Replacing lighting with more energy efficient bulbs is also a great way. Don’t replace all at one..but replace as needed to help lessen the immediate cost. Maybe some handouts could be laminated and then written on with erasable markers. That way the paper is used over and over again by different students… Rather than written on and then trashed. Have the teachers also make up some blank sheets of laminated (recycled)paper for scratch paper to be used and reused over again for math problems for instance.
    Well, that is all that I can think of right now. Good luck and keep us posted on your progress.

  1. Ruthie Said,

    Hey Chris! Sorry I missed this post earlier I guess. It’s funny because I just posted about this very thing on my weight loss blog the yesterday.

    I think this project is an excellent idea!

    Ruthies last blog post..Go Green with the Ideal Bite!

  1. Computer Forum Said,

    Amazing article! Detailed and very interested. I am going to recommend this blog to my friends.

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