Going green at schools can start with affecting behavioral change. Engaging students in poster contests can increase awareness which is one of the first steps in creating a culture of conservation -- remember awareness is the beginning and action based on knowledge is what we are seeking. Start simply by asking students to create peer-to-peer messages posters and write a paragraph about their poster. Take the clear and accurate posters and reproduce them to post throughout the school. Schools with technology labs may be able to create digital banners with energy, pollution, recycling, and environmental facts for the school. Some simple themes could revolve around, turning off the lights, shutting down computers and monitors, keeping doors closed during heating and air-conditioning season, consolidating appliances to kitchen areas only, use CFL's in task lighting in offices, or they can move into global issues - transportation, resource use in America compared to developing nations, benefits of recycling, water use/waste, electricity facts, etc.

Administrators can support, encourage, and celebrate those who actively conserve. Try including tips and fun facts in morning announcements -- thank you announcements in the afternoon. Identify students who can monitor classrooms at the end of the day to make sure all appliances, computers, and equipment are properly shut down and recycling materials are sorted. Students can rate the classrooms and post a Certificate of Achievement on the winning classrooms each month - or give construction paper leaves to build a tree outside their doors (tape on the wall...) Visual reminders of their success and maybe a pizza party for the team or class that wins are small ways to make a big difference. Make a school "Green Team." They can win a lunch with the principal!

High school students can create video public service announcements to play on the morning news show, cheerleaders can make cheers to remind patrons to recycle, chorus classes can sign songs about the environment, environmental science classes can write essays about the affects of carbon emissions on the environment, graphics art classes can develop digital posters, journalism classes can write articles about green efforts for the school newspaper, law classes can write memorandums in on new environmental laws and policies, science classed can study global warming, landscape studies can develop a garden template for energy-efficient landscaping (using native species), etc. Middle and high school age students can weigh their recycling efforts and track data and identify trends and strategies for success. Conservation and environmental issues fit into every discipline.

Try assigning a conservation team leader on staff, each year, to promote a culture of conservation. They can lead a team of staff and gather some green team students to develop a plan. If you have access to water, electricity, and gas bills from your central office have the computer applications class develop bar charts demonstrating the school's use of utilities year after year to develop a history and provide feedback. Always remember to celebrate and recognize staff who go above and beyond the call of duty when starting new initiatives - Thank yous, certificates, and positive reinforcement go a long way when inspiring those who want to do things for the right reasons!

Simple things can be done by staff to save energy: closing window blinds when teachers leave for the day, properly shutting down all equipment in each classroom, assigning a staff member to shut down work rooms/team rooms, student teams can shut down equipment in media centers and computer labs ("computer captains")and if you have a recycling program get the kids involved ("recycling rangers") to assume some of the responsibility and develop leadership skills.

Visit our website and feel free to try any of our activities. www.greenschoolsfocus.org

Small steps can lead us farther than we can ever imagine....

Good luck to all,
Hillary Kirchman