2. Why Go Green????
WHY SHOULD WE GO GREEN????
Alarming Facts:
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate
Change reviewed relevant published studies of
biological systems and concluded that 20
percent to 30 percent of species assessed
may be at risk of extinction from climate
change impacts within this century if global
mean temperatures exceed 2-3 °C (3.6-5.4 °F)
relative to pre-industrial levels. (IPCC, 2007)
By 2100 ecosystems will be exposed to
atmospheric CO2 levels substantially higher
than in the past 650,000 years, and global
temperatures at least among the highest as
those experienced in the past 740,000 years.
This will alter the structure, reduce biodiversity
and perturb functioning of most ecosystems,
and compromise the services they currently
provide. (epa.gov /climate
change/effects/eco.html#ref, 2009)
If the human race were to cease to exist, it
would still take about 100,000 years for CO2
levels to return to pre-human levels.
5. Start Out Early and Educate!
This can mean two things, both of which are important.
Early in the school year (and early in age), make it a point
to talk about environmental issues that are going on that
relate back to students' lives in the classroom
Make Recycling Easy!
Clearly mark bins and have plenty of them!
Use Recycled Materials!
There is a never ending list of recycled materials that can be
used in the classroom. Cardboard, computer parts, wood
scraps, paper towel rolls, milk cartons, bottles, and paper
scraps are just a few of the many materials that art teachers
are able to use for classroom projects.
Show Off!
Make a big deal about your students' artwork. If a student's project
teaches about recycling, every person who views the piece can be
influenced by the message of the artwork.
8. Three
SEAGULL BOTTLE CAP MURAL
thousand
nine
hundred
ninety four
bottle caps
and wine
corks were
used in
order to
add color
to this
mural
which is on
display in
our school
library.
13. “Art can be used as
GREEN IS THE WAY TO GO!!!
a tool to provoke
thought or bring
Why Go Green???? attention to any
number of
“ Students should be taught, from a young age, the causes. Bringing
importance of sustainability, environmental responsibility, environmental
and what they, as artists, can do in order to influence awareness to
others. Next, design should be incorporated into multiple disciplines
within the art realm
classroom curriculum. It has been argued that designers can have far
will play a substantial role in helping to create a reaching effects. ”
sustainable society. Additionally, students absolutely need
to know that each of them has the power to influence
innumerable other people through the power of their own
artwork. Too often, especially in early grade levels,
children produce artwork that is made specifically because
it is nice to look at. Students must realize that art is more
than creating an aesthetically pleasing picture. If one
grade level of students create artwork that makes a
personal statement about environmental responsibility, it
has the ability to influence hundreds of other people. If the
student who creates that artwork is able to explain why he
or she made the artwork and why it is important to him or
her, the work becomes an influence to all who view it.”