BY ASHLEY GUAY
It’s that time of the year again. For some people September signifies a time for new beginnings, but for most others it signifies back to school. As each year passes, more and more opportunity is given to make schools eco-friendly. According to The Green Book by Elizabeth Rogers and Thomas M. Kostigen, U.S. colleges and universities create about 3.6 million tons of waste a year, which amounts to 2 percent of the United States’ total waste stream. This is not including high schools, elementary schools or even kindergartens. Here are some eco-friendly ways to go back to school. |
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Most waste generated from schools comes from paper and food. Try packing lunches in re-useable containers. Pack fresh fruit and vegetables, drinks in refillable water bottles, and remove any treats from their plastic wrapper and pack them in Tupperware. Bring cloth napkins, and real utensils opposed to plastic, as they tend to just end up in the landfill. As well, avoid school vending machines as they often offer pre-packaged snacks in plastic wrappers, which are a big source of landfill waste.
Almost half of all school waste comes from paper. Encourage smaller children to use both sides of the paper when writing. For university students, when you print off notes for research try printing on both sides of the paper. And always, ALWAYS, recycle any papers you no longer need.
For children in elementary schools, try a different method when it comes to a back to school wardrobe. Purchase a few staple pieces such as jeans, shoes and a fall/winter coat. Then use hand-me-downs from older children, cousins or neighbours. You’ll save money from the clothes you don’t have to buy and the clothes will still seem new to your child. For older kids, tons of stores now offer lines of eco-friendly clothing. A plus is, organic cotton tends to be softer so not only are you being green but you’re also more comfortable.
According to The Green Book, half of all students go to school by car. The book says that if just six per cent of that number walked to school it would save 1.5 million drop-offs and pick-ups, not to mention 62 thousand gallons of gas a day! If you live too far to walk or if you don’t feel comfortable with your child walking try organizing a carpool with other students or parents to cut down on fuel.
A lot of places now offer eco-friendly school supplies. At Staples you can buy 100% recycled paper for your computer or for stationary. Chapters offers different lines of biodegradable pens and pencils, recycled paper notebooks and other eco-friendly stationary. Make sure to recycle notebooks when the semester is over.
Most universities and colleges offer students used textbooks as well as new ones. Not only can purchasing a used textbook save you money but most schools offer a sell back program that allows you to sell your books back at the end of the semester which helps you get some of the money you spent back.
For those who are serious about going green in their schools, Sophie Uliano’s Gorgeously Green offers a checklist to bring into your school:
- Are all the heating and A/C vents regularly cleaned?
- Does the school recycle all its paper?
- Does the school cleanup crew use nontoxic cleaners?
- Do the sinks have antibacterial soaps for use?
- Is there adequate ventilation in each classroom?
- Does the school offer organic food/snacks?
- Does the school have an edible garden?
- Does the school encourage no-waste lunches?
- Does the school encourage carpooling?
- Do the teachers and students turn off all appliances when leaving the room?
The most important thing to remember when it comes to going to school eco-friendly is to recycle and cut down the use of paper as much as possible. Universities tend to provide students with huge packs of paper to read. Ask your teacher or professor if they could put the readings online instead or on a USB drive. And for younger children it is important to encourage recycling so as they grow they keep up good habits.