Going green in our schools

We are constantly hearing about environmental issues, like global warming, pollution and resource depletion along with many other problems. But do any of us really take the time to know what these problems are and how it’s affecting our planet?

Every person should be educated on all the environmental issues that are taking place, however, most of us are not.  It’s not only affecting our planet but it’s also affecting us. Global climate change causes stronger natural disasters and heat waves.

According to the Theguaridan.com, “Most alarming, says the report, is that many of these changes have accelerated in the past decade, despite the plethora of international conventions signed since the initial Rio Summit in 1992. Climate-warming carbon emissions have increased 40% in the past 20 years, but two-thirds of that rise occurred in the past decade.”

It seems many of us have the mentality to not worry about the environment because we believe someone else will. If we all continue to have that mentality nothing will be solved and our environment will continue to worsen.

Why is it that we do this? We should all care greatly about the environment and the many issues that are taking place. We should all be figuring out various solutions, and then proceeding with an action.

I believe a big part of the reason why we seem not to care too much about helping our environment has to do with what we are being taught. We gain much of our knowledge from school, and in most schools, like mine, we learn little to nothing about environmental sustainability. Many schools have sex ed classes, physical education classes, art classes but not environmental and sustainability classes. Schools should require to have an environmental and sustainability class taught and evaluated as part of the school curriculum.

It is very crucial that all schools start going green. Most adults weren’t taught about saving the environment in their schools that is why there has been little to no change from the adults of this decade. If schools start teaching students how to go green beginning in elementary school, they will grow up to be adults who truly care for the environment.

There are various ways schools can incorporate and promote caring for the environment in school. Here are a few:

• Environmental awareness (Classes/ clubs that teach this)
• Carpool or ride your bike to school
• Pay attention to packaging and bags
• Reusable water bottles
• Recycle, recycle, and compost (Start a student run recycling club)
• Host a solar cookout
• Send emails home  to parents instead of paperwork  
• Take an environmental informative field trip
• Reduce paper
• Grow a garden then eat organic
• Conserve energy
• Use biodegradable cups in the cafeteria

As you can see there are many simple things you can do to help the environment, but it has to start in school. Students should really push for more environmentally sustainable activities in your school. Visit the links below  for more information on fun, easy, and creative ways to get your school to go green.  

http://www.accreditedschoolsonline.org/resources/going-green-at-school/

http://www.scholastic.com/teachers/top_teaching/2011/04/my-april-top-ten-list-going-green-at-school

–Haili Ayala