Go Green at School
Going green is important in all faucets of life and kids should not be counted out in this movement. Parents can help their kids and... more schools go green with simple and minor habit adjustments. Kim Carlson, eco-expert business owner, author and founder of EarthSmart Certified Sustainable Product Standard, is offering ways to get parents, teachers and most importantly the kids involved in going green at school. Whether youre looking to go green on the playground, classroom or in the lunch room, Carlson gives you a variety of eco-friendly tips.
Go Green on the playground
• Always Use Sunscreen --Generously apply a broad spectrum sunscreen with a Sun Protection Factor (SPF) of at least 15 to exposed skin. Sunglasses that provide 99-100% UVA and UVB protection will greatly reduce sun exposure that can lead to cataracts and other eye damage. Check the label when buying sunglasses.
• No idling Policy Toxic chemicals from diesel school buses and increase the risk of asthma and lung disease. Dont allow school buses to idle on the school grounds near playgrounds or waiting children.
• Naturist on the playground Assign a science oriented teacher the job of leading groups of kids around the playground to show them birds, bugs and plants. Get the kids to name each creature.
• Organize oldie but goodie games Get a kickball game started. Provide chalk for hopscotch and rope for jump rope. Get kids moving and organized around activities that dont hurt them or the planet.
• Eco-friendly playground equipment --When researching new playground equipment, go with an eco-friendly choice for example equipment made with certified lumber that is sustainably harvested or recycled content, be sure the manufacturer has a green philosophy.
Go Green in the classroom
• Reduce lesson Have the students do a paper towel audit for the bathrooms counting the number of towels used per visit. It teaches math and survey skills. Then have them create a poster campaign to encourage the use of no more than 1-2 paper towels.
• Lights out Have the class compose a letter to send around to all of the classes encouraging lights to be turned out in classrooms when not in use and only turning half the lights on during sunny days. Send a letter to janitorial staff encouraging them to turn off the lights too.
• Recycled art Run a contest giving prizes for the best designed green mascot made from things like recycled boxes, paper, tubes or other discarded garbage. Or have students make a brightly colored mural from free recycled paint found at a paint store. Or have students make toys from recycled phone wire to demonstrate that homemade toys made from unusual things can be just as fun to play with as store purchased plastic toys.
• Recycle cell phones Have a student driven recycling drive. Collect cell phones, monitors, blackberries and arrange for recycling with an electronics store or government recycling center. The campaign can raise awareness with kids and parents about the need for electronics recycling.
• Create programs Run a contest to find the greenest classroom in your school. Measure things like recycling progress, amount of paper used, and crayon, pencils and other materials used over time. Have the principal give out a prize to the classroom that cut down the most on its resources or waste.
• Waste field trip - Organize a field trip to a recycling plant. It will teach kids how garbage can be re-used and re-purposed into other products.
Go Green in the lunchroom
• Garbage sorting - Have students start a lunch garbage-separating project where they sort compostables, recyclables and garbage headed for the landfill. Find out if your school can start an organics recycling program for food waste either through the city or onsite near the school somewhere.
• Use worms - Kids love worms and it will teach them that food equals waste in the natural world - a lesson that we can all use! Worm bins can be used in each classroom for organic recycling of snack time left-overs encouraging kids to bring healthy snacks that the worms will eat!
• Cafeteria bulk condiments - Ditch the ketchup and mustard individual packets for bulk condiments. and completed a math project that proves the school would save money if they went to bulk.
• Pack a no-waste lunch - Use a re-useable lunch bag or box with the child's name written on it. Put food in re-useable containers and include a cloth napkin. Also ask the school to use re-useable trays, napkins and silverware if they are currently using disposables.
Go Green in after school sports
• Green sneakers - Many shoe companies are now making tennis shoes with organic cotton uppers, recycled rubber soles and laces made from recycled water bottles.
• Eco-snacks - Be sure that the pre-game snacks are organic and healthy to give your peewee the energy he or she needs to compete and have fun. If snacks are fresh and local, all the better for your kiddo and the planet.
• Organic Tees Team T-shirts can be both fun and eco-friendly with organic cotton or soft bamboo. Polyester can be hot and is made from non-renewable petroleum.
• Detox the playing field - Kids are particularly sensitive to toxic chemicals including lawn chemicals. Make sure that the school or parks system is not using a chemical weed and feed to green the baseball diamond or soccer field. There are plenty of organic and non-toxic alternatives.