Ways to Green Your Elementary School

Reduce

• Use reusable bottles for drinks instead of individual juice boxes or cans.
• Use reusable containers for snacks and packed lunches instead of disposable wrappers or bags.
• Buy snacks with less packaging on them (such as an apple instead of a package of apple crisps).
• When having parties in the classroom, use washable plates and cups instead of disposable ones.
• If your classroom has a pet turtle, lizard or fish, use real plants instead of synthetic or plastic plants.
• Ask your teacher if you could walk to a nearby park to examine the local ecosystems without using extra gas.

Reuse

• Always use both sides of a piece of paper.
• Make sure every classroom has a scrap paper tray for reusing paper.
• Reuse old paper that cannot be written on any more in craft projects.
• Hold a “bring and buy” sale to raise money for your school, where people can bring old clothes, toys or books for someone else to buy or reuse.
• Encourage the school to use rechargeable batteries and refillable print cartridges.

Recycle

• If your school has a drink vending machine, put a recycling bin next to it to collect cans for recycling.
• Help set up a composting bin for yard materials or a vermicomposting bin for food scraps in your cafeteria or courtyard.
• Encourage your school to buy and use recycled paper and other recycled products.
• Use pencils and other school supplies made from recycled materials.