The environment we live in relies on our actions to thrive. If we don’t care for our environment today, the future will not be healthy for the next generation. On the other hand, we can take great measures today to protect the environment or undo the damage that decades of unhealthy habits caused.
If you’re involved in the education system and want to be environmentally friendly, here’s how you can do it in less than a decade:
Get a green school audit
First, you want to know where to start. This means looking at where you are currently, so that you know how much work needs to be done or how much of your current system needs to be changed. Some may need an entire overhaul of their education system, while others might only need a few changes here and there.
Start with the smallest changes
Once your audit is done, you can work on being one of the environmentally friendly schools in your area. This doesn’t mean an overnight change needs to happen, however. At this stage, what’s important is that you’re starting. Do the easiest change to implement–one that will not raise too many eyebrows. It can be as simple as adding another bin for recyclables or changing the placement of garbage cans around the school. By working with the habits of those in school and introducing this small change, you are slowly getting them on board without challenging their ideals.
Ask for everyone’s cooperation
Implementing changes in a school to make it more sustainable requires the cooperation of everyone. You will want all teachers, parents, and students to all be on the same page on what’s happening. You may need to set up a few meetings to tell them what you intend to do, and if they are as committed to an environmentally friendly future as you are, they will be on board. The challenge is to remind them that each action will have an effect. If they choose to ignore the changes, they are telling others that it’s okay to be wasteful or uncaring for the environment too. On the other hand, if they show that they are willing to develop better habits, others will be encouraged to do the same.
It takes a village to raise a child. Similarly, it also takes an entire team to make a school sustainable. Take your first steps today.