Schools, like everyone else, play an important key role against combating the climate change crisis. With more and more children having climate anxiety, we should be encouraging our schools to start making a difference today. Here are some simple, small and effective changes your school can make to become more environmentally friendly.
Schools, like everyone else, play an important key role against combating the climate change crisis. With more and more children having climate anxiety, we should be encouraging our schools to start making a difference today. Here are some simple, small and effective changes your school can make to become more environmentally friendly.
Separating your recycling
Recycling is an important way to help the environment as we can reuse material we have already made. This will, as a result, reduce unnecessary waste from going to landfills that are starting to full up and will eventually run out. By your school having separate recycling bins for plastic, paper, cardboard and much more they can reduce the large quantities of waste schools can produce. With staff setting an example, younger children will feel more motivated to recycle in and outside of school.
Reducing single use plastic
Schools, especially the canteen, produce large volumes of plastics which could be avoided. How about encouraging your school to switch from single use containers and utensils to reusable plates and metal cutlery. This will also save your school more money as they won’t need to constantly buy plastic containers for food to be served in. Even a simple switch from plastic to cardboard can lower your carbon footprint.
Cutting down on unnecessary paper
Reducing your school’s paper printouts is a way to cut down on the volume of paper produced. If tasks could easily be done in a student's book then it should be utilised. We understand that it’s nearly impossible to avoid paper and printouts in school but trying to be mindful is the way forward. Also, any wasted paper should be reused, if possible, or recycled as it will have more of a positive impact on the environment.
Starting a school eco club
A place to meet like minded people and to make friends, starting an eco club can help push for changes in your school. You can share ideas and start to encourage your school to become more environmentally friendly. There are a variety of ways your club can spread awareness that you could try like delivery assemblies to litter picking.
Your school’s small changes can then be developed to more ambitious bigger changes in the future like having solar panels on the roots. Everyone has to start somewhere and your school’s changes are better than nothing.