Going Green at School How you can take simple actions to help your school and the environment Provided by HelpSaveEarth.org © 2009

Why should you help? Reduce Energy, Water and Landfill costs Increases money available for other needs Allows school to invest in supplies, rooms, new classes, etc Provides more jobs, better education to students Who Wins? You School Community Environment

Recycle Most trash can be recycled now, so it doesn’t have to end up in the landfill Provide recycling containers for the following items: Paper, Magazines, Junk Mail Glass Plastic bottles and bags Styrofoam Textbooks, notebooks Cardboard Aluminum cans Ink toner cartridges Cell phones Batteries And more…

Most trash can be recycled now, so it doesn’t have to end up in the landfill

Provide recycling containers for the following items:

Paper, Magazines, Junk Mail

Glass

Plastic bottles and bags

Styrofoam

Textbooks, notebooks

Cardboard

Aluminum cans

Ink toner cartridges

Cell phones

Batteries

And more…

Paper Set default on printers Double-sided (less paper) Black and white (color more expensive) “ Think before you print” Ask yourself if you really need the document in hard copy format (training material, brochures, procedures, reports, etc) Place this note at the bottom of your emails for others to consider GreenPrint software , forces print previews so wasted printing does not occur! Don’t print this training material!

Set default on printers

Double-sided (less paper)

Black and white (color more expensive)

“ Think before you print”

Ask yourself if you really need the document in hard copy format (training material, brochures, procedures, reports, etc)

Place this note at the bottom of your emails for others to consider

GreenPrint software , forces print previews so wasted printing does not occur!

Don’t print this training material!

Paper Get rid of fax machine Online services convert fax to email attachment Saves electricity Buy recycled paper Should have at least 30% recycled content Recycle paper when done Leave paper recycling bin next to printer and copier

Get rid of fax machine

Online services convert fax to email attachment

Saves electricity

Buy recycled paper

Should have at least 30% recycled content

Recycle paper when done

Leave paper recycling bin next to printer and copier

Cafeteria and Eating Eat in the cafeteria Don’t grab food “to-go” and bring back to eat reduce packaging waste, healthier for you Provide filtered water for teachers and students Cuts down on bottled water purchases Bring your own lunch? Use reusable bags or lunch boxes Avoid throwing away paper or plastic bags each day Purchase Energy Star ® appliances (fridge, stove, etc)

Eat in the cafeteria

Don’t grab food “to-go” and bring back to eat

reduce packaging waste, healthier for you

Provide filtered water for teachers and students

Cuts down on bottled water purchases

Bring your own lunch? Use reusable bags or lunch boxes

Avoid throwing away paper or plastic bags each day

Purchase Energy Star ® appliances (fridge, stove, etc)

Cafeteria and Eating Bring your own reusable items from home Mugs, glasses and containers for drinks, to replace disposable cups or milk cartons Cloth napkin to reduce paper towels and napkins Silverware and dishes to replace Styrofoam plates and cups and plastic silverware (simply clean and dry after each use) Or replace all these items with biodegradable options

Bring your own reusable items from home

Mugs, glasses and containers for drinks, to replace disposable cups or milk cartons

Cloth napkin to reduce paper towels and napkins

Silverware and dishes to replace Styrofoam plates and cups and plastic silverware (simply clean and dry after each use)

Or replace all these items with biodegradable options

Cafeteria and Eating Grow your own food in a school garden Buy from local growers Reduced transportation, supports community Buy organic Healthier for you, chemical-free Start a compost pile Stop sending food waste to the landfill

Grow your own food in a school garden

Buy from local growers

Reduced transportation, supports community

Buy organic

Healthier for you, chemical-free

Start a compost pile

Stop sending food waste to the landfill

Bathroom Electric hand dryers or cloth towel rack Replaces paper towels Otherwise, have paper recycle bin near exit Low flow/waterless toilets Motion detector on faucets Prevents water from being left on Report water leaks right away!

Electric hand dryers or cloth towel rack

Replaces paper towels

Otherwise, have paper recycle bin near exit

Low flow/waterless toilets

Motion detector on faucets

Prevents water from being left on

Report water leaks right away!

Computers Enable screen savers or sleep mode on monitors Increases security, and saves electricity Shut down equipment when not in use Computers, printers, fax machines, copiers Measure actual electricity usage of equipment to determine which use the most Choose laptops over desktops Use less electricity, less packaging and raw materials

Enable screen savers or sleep mode on monitors

Increases security, and saves electricity

Shut down equipment when not in use

Computers, printers, fax machines, copiers

Measure actual electricity usage of equipment to determine which use the most

Choose laptops over desktops

Use less electricity, less packaging and raw materials

Office Supplies Buy recycled school supplies Books, binders, desks, chairs, pens, file cabinets, etc Buy rewriteable CDs and DVDs (reuse) Create organized central area for supplies Clean out desks regularly to put back into storage, take only what you need to reduce purchases Ask around before you buy new

Buy recycled school supplies

Books, binders, desks, chairs, pens, file cabinets, etc

Buy rewriteable CDs and DVDs (reuse)

Create organized central area for supplies

Clean out desks regularly to put back into storage, take only what you need to reduce purchases

Ask around before you buy new

Classrooms Install CFL and LED bulbs Unplug cell phone chargers when finished Many devices still drain electricity when plugged in Keep thermostats 2-3 degrees higher in summer, lower in winter Look for unoccupied spaces and close off vents Install motion detector light switches Great for classrooms, hallways, offices Use task-specific lighting as needed Use lamps instead of overhead lights for entire area

Install CFL and LED bulbs

Unplug cell phone chargers when finished

Many devices still drain electricity when plugged in

Keep thermostats 2-3 degrees higher in summer, lower in winter

Look for unoccupied spaces and close off vents

Install motion detector light switches

Great for classrooms, hallways, offices

Use task-specific lighting as needed

Use lamps instead of overhead lights for entire area

Students Create a green task force Walk around and look for opportunities Provide recommendations, resources and education to teachers and administration Provide student suggestion box Helps build engagement, generates great ideas

Create a green task force

Walk around and look for opportunities

Provide recommendations, resources and education to teachers and administration

Provide student suggestion box

Helps build engagement, generates great ideas

Community Support environmental organizations, initiatives and projects Make your school a leader in the community Start an environmental group! Student lead, with a teacher sponsor

Support environmental organizations, initiatives and projects

Make your school a leader in the community

Start an environmental group!

Student lead, with a teacher sponsor

Larger Projects Invest in renewable sources of energy Wind, solar, geothermal (based on your region) Reduces costs, risks, and seasonal fluctuations Install a green roof Cuts heating and cooling bill, looks great Make your school buildings LEED © certified LEED = Requirements for “healthy” efficient buildings

Invest in renewable sources of energy

Wind, solar, geothermal (based on your region)

Reduces costs, risks, and seasonal fluctuations

Install a green roof

Cuts heating and cooling bill, looks great

Make your school buildings LEED © certified

LEED = Requirements for “healthy” efficient buildings

Getting to school Walk or Bike! Take public transportation Bus, train, shuttle, subway, etc Carpool with other classmates or teachers Teachers and Parents: Buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle More options today with electric, hybrid, or other renewable fuel sources

Walk or Bike!

Take public transportation

Bus, train, shuttle, subway, etc

Carpool with other classmates or teachers

Teachers and Parents: Buy a more fuel-efficient vehicle

More options today with electric, hybrid, or other renewable fuel sources

Clothing Wear hand-me-downs, or shop at second-hand store Make your own clothes, or modify your old clothes (jeans to shorts, shirt to purse, etc) Wear clothes more than once before putting in washing machine (saves water) Buy clothing made from organic cottons or recycled materials Donate clothes to charity, give to friends, just don’t throw away! Swap clothes with your friends

Wear hand-me-downs, or shop at second-hand store

Make your own clothes, or modify your old clothes (jeans to shorts, shirt to purse, etc)

Wear clothes more than once before putting in washing machine (saves water)

Buy clothing made from organic cottons or recycled materials

Donate clothes to charity, give to friends, just don’t throw away!

Swap clothes with your friends

Start Simple! Try one new thing today! Take it at your own pace, don’t have to drastically change your lifestyle or routine Every little effort helps, it all adds up to a big impact Take these tips home with you Can greatly reduce your bills

Try one new thing today!

Take it at your own pace, don’t have to drastically change your lifestyle or routine

Every little effort helps, it all adds up to a big impact

Take these tips home with you

Can greatly reduce your bills

Final Thoughts What other green ideas can you think of? What actions should your school pursue? What actions are YOU going to try to implement?

What other green ideas can you think of?

What actions should your school pursue?

What actions are YOU going to try to implement?

End Thanks for your time! Help Save Earth http://www.HelpSaveEarth.org

Thanks for your time!

Help Save Earth

http://www.HelpSaveEarth.org