An image of Falls Park. Upon it is some text that advises Live Greener: Recycle with Single Stream; all in one container. Reuse your shopping bag. Rethink printing; go double-sided or don't print. Reduce water usage. Replace bulbs with compact fluorescents.

Live Greener At School

Water
  • Step one: educate students, teachers and parents about the importance of environmental concern.
  • Hold contests for students to capture their best ideas on going green and get them involved.
  • Conduct a water audit. Check faucets for dripping and toilets for incessant running. A leaky faucet wastes more than 20 gallons of water a day.
  • Upgrade all toilets. Older models use as much as 4.5 gallons per flush.
  • Install automatic water switches in bathrooms.
  • Install waterless urinals. Incorporating 22 waterless urinals would save 1 million gallons of water a year.
  • Use low-flow shower heads in locker rooms.
  • Keep hot water pipes insulated.
  • Encourage cleaning crews to use less water for mopping.
  • Install motion sensor lights where possible. Otherwise, post signs near light switches reminding students to turn them off after leaving the room.
  • In the cafeteria, reuse water from heating tables to water plants.
  • Wash school vehicles and buses less often.
  • If you have a pool, lower the water amount to reduce water splashing out.
  • Set your lawn sprinklers for more days in between watering. Install an automatic rain shut-off device on sprinkler systems. Or, best of all, plant native plants in your lawn that don’t require additional water.
Recycling
  • Have a recycle bin in every classroom. Buy 100% recycled content paper.
  • Print tests, worksheets and other documents on a double-sided printer.
  • Reuse the second side of single-page documents.
  • Reuse paper clips.
  • Set up a composting system. This can serve as an educational opportunity for children as well.
  • Buy trashcans made from recycled steel, instead of plastic.
  • Seek out a recycler who will take electronics—old computers, cell phones, etc. 
Energy
  • Encourage students to pack lunches in reusable containers: lunchbox, drink containers, silverware, etc.
  • Buy crayons made from soybean oil, not paraffin wax (made from petroleum). Buy markers that are water-based and that do not use toxic ink.
  • Use refillable pens. Pens are made from nonrenewable resources and contain harmful chemicals.
  • Install adequate bike racks and encourage students who are close to bike to school.
  • Set up carpooling systems. Better yet, reward families for using the bus. A full bus can travel five miles on the energy it takes a car to go one mile.
  • Keep classrooms between 69 and 73 degrees.
  • Instead of letters, communicate electronically with families.
  • Install motion sensor lights where possible.
Building
  • Install whiteboards instead of blackboards (chalk is bad for air quality). Use non-toxic, dry-erase markers.
  • Maximize natural lighting with windows.
  • Improve indoor air quality with plants and energy-saving air filters. Open windows when possible. Incorporate a fresh-air ventilation system to replace stale indoor air with fresh air from outdoors.
  • Avoid solvents, adhesives, sealants and paints with toxic chemicals. Use brands that are water based rather than petroleum-derived.
  • Install motion sensors and dimmable controls for lighting.
  • Outdoors, consider landscaping that will provide shade and cooling to your building: leafy trees, awnings and eaves.
  • Replace your cleaning products with natural ones— non-toxic cleaning products are as easy as baking soda, vinegar, lemon and soap.
  • Install ceiling fans to take the place of air conditioning when possible.
  • Look for carpets made from recycled materials.