“If we all do a little bit, it will collectively make a big impact.” -Jessica Alba.
Schools are a great place for teaching morals and ethics to the kids and society. Things a person learns during their schooling years help them become the best version of themselves. Considering the same, it is now time for schools to take initiatives to save the environment. In short, by becoming a green school, they can help support global sustainability in every way.
The standard set for an environmentally friendly school is not limited to its curriculum. Instead, it goes a long way in creating a sustainable framework for building the premises, setting benchmarks for other communities, and upgrading the amenities to reduce energy and water waste.
That being said, let’s look at the initiatives that schools can take to become eco-friendly.
Initiate A Green Schools Alliance
Many education institutions are creating a green schools alliance (GSA) in their areas to spread awareness about campus sustainability. These alliances also focus on reducing the overall carbon footprint generated every year.
The biggest GSA involves more than 5 million students from approximately 8000 schools from 48 U.S. states and 91 countries. So far, GSA has been able to save 9.84 million kW hours. Additionally, this alliance aims to reduce carbon emissions by 30% over the next few years.
Educate The Parents And Students
Another initiative schools should take is educating students and parents about environmentally-friendly practices. Likewise, they can hold half-yearly or yearly meetings to take suggestions from parents and students. Some of the steps that schools and families can take are:
- Encouraging the use of public transportation, school bus, bicycle, or walking to the school.
- Urging students to spend time outside their classroom and using commercial playground equipment during their breaks. Spending time outside and playing will help improve their physical health and cognitive skills. Bear in mind that commercial playground equipment tends to last twice as long than traditional steel equipment. A longer lifespan also means less need for repair and maintenance.
- Regular participation in community services or volunteer work such as hosting cleanup, planting trees, or educating about the three Rs.
- Urge the students and teachers to practice trayless eating, i.e., bring their own food, use reusable utensils or carry lunch boxes to reduce plastic and water waste.
Pay Attention To The Energy Use
Last but not least, pay attention to the overall energy consumption of the premises. Conduct regular energy audits to learn about the areas where the maximum energy is being consumed. It could be done every month or yearly basis.
Schools should also use renewable energy sources by replacing the regular lights with solar LED lights. Similarly, weatherizing the windows and doors will ensure proper ventilation and insulation of the premises. Ensuring the systems and lights are turned off will also help save energy consumption.
To Sum It All Up
Protecting the environment is not an obligation but a necessity. Understand that whatever resources schools and other communities are using today are borrowed from the comfort of future generations. Therefore, it is high time to take the initiative to become a green school.
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