How Small C hanges Lead to Green Schools

1. How Small Changes Lead to Green Schools Presented by: Melissa Turner The Environmental Science Team at Roosevelt Middle Magnet School

2. All the Small Things… The smallest things can begin the biggest changes. Many of the small changes you can make to your school are low to no cost. Most involve changes to your way of thinking rather than your school budget or personal wallet.

3. Work with Administration • Create a Green Team in your school • Implement simple “Green” policies • Don’t create paper copies of things that are sent via email • Send out electronic copies of presentations given in meetings rather than printing them out. • Utilize Edline for important news and parent information • Support Professional Development aimed toward creating an Eco-friendly atmosphere in your school

4. Get Your Teachers Involved • Find out what your teachers are already doing that could be considered “green” • Reusing worksheets • Having students take tests electronically • Teaching lessons outside or including the environment in “non-related” subjects • Encourage small adjustments to their way of thinking • Double-sided printing • Utilize Edline for progress reports • Create ways to implement “green thinking” in lesson planning

5. Put Your Students to Work • Implement recycling programs at school and have students responsible for pick-up • The Solid Waste Authority is helpful in setting these programs up in schools • You can have a club for recycling or have certain classes responsible • Students design, plant, and maintain gardens • Students can create bulletin boards on environmental topics to keep the entire school informed about what is going on. • Have School clean-ups where students pick up any litter on campus; this helps them be aware of the problem and modify their own behavior.

6. Go Outside • See if there are places that you can create gardens • Butterfly gardens are easy and great for creating habitat • Vegetables can grow is small areas • Once a garden is in place it’s easy to expand it each year. • Gardens, either for habitat or vegetables, are great learning tools in any class and help teachers create outdoor classrooms. • If your school needs to update its landscaping, use your Green Team to determine the best choices for water consumption and native plants.

7. Leave Campus • Check out some of the wonderful environmental field trips that are available in our county. • Most have accompanying Sunshine State Standards Materials • You can find several on the free transportation list. • These can play a part in your integrated curriculum • Visit a Botanical Gardens for inspiration in Language Arts Class • Go to a museum and learn about how Florida’s environment has changed throughout its history • Are there any parks near your campus? • Many of these provide environmental opportunities • Several are easily walked to, saving on transportation costs and pollution

8. Celebrate your Planet • Host an Environmental Event • Earth Fair • Earth Day Events • Outdoor plant show • Vegetable sale • Your Green Team and Students can run the event • It can be turned into a fundraiser for your school • It helps raise community awareness and involvement

9. Speaking of Money Going green can be used to raise green for your school There are many environmentally conscious fundraisers available for schools Some sell eco-friendly products while others are based on recycling old technology or packaging from products your students already use. They are easily found online and through the district.

10. Be a Techno-Geek • Make sure to incorporate the technology we have been blessed with to help reduce waste. • Edline can be utilized in many ways to reduce paper waste • Giving quizzes • Creating blogs for newspapers • Surveys • Email reduces paper waste while increasing confidentiality • Send important notices electronically • No need to send student information through mailboxes that anyone can see into • Email can also help you connect better with your students and parents

11. And the odds and ends • If you are in an older school, try to clean out your storage closets in classrooms and offices. • You’ll be surprised what you find there that is just going to waste. • This year one of our AP’s found an Slushie maker for fundraising that had never been opened. • This helps save your school money and is a great way to reduce waste.

12. Any Questions? Melissa.Turner@palmbeach.k12.fl.us