PTAC GREEN SCHOOLS GREEN TIPS
Please find below a list of green tips to be used in your school newspapers and morning announcements. The original tips are sourced from OGS Go Green tips and the EPA Earth Day Environmental Tips (http://www.epa.gov/earthday/tips.htm). General Tips are listed first followed by Seasonal/Holiday Tips. Contact ptacgreenschools@gmail.com to add your tips, Thanks!
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Tips for Sustainable School Lunches
Drive less and reduce your carbon footprint!
Make your home an Energy Star!
More Green Ideas for Halloween
Are Christmas trees really "green"?
Protect yourself from sun overexposure!
Green Tips about Greenwich Public Schools
our green lighting: what a bright idea!
solar energy in Greenwich schools?
why recycle? we’re all in a single stream!
Buying local produce for packed lunches is not only fresher, but it also helps the environment. Buy food from local producers when possible and drink water, ideally tap water, from a reusable container. Each pound of local food can prevent a quarter pound of carbon dioxide emissions. Support local farmer's markets.
Idling vehicles contribute to air pollution and emit air toxins known or suspected to cause cancer, respiratory effects, and other serious health problems. Because of their developing lungs and higher breathing rates, children are more susceptible to air pollution and are at increased risk for developing asthma, respiratory problems and other adverse effects. Monitoring at schools has shown elevated levels of air toxins during the the hour coinciding with parents picking up their children, and an idling vehicle creates 20x more pollution than one traveling at 30 miles per hour. Reducing idling at schools can reduce air pollution and children's exposure to toxic vehicle exhaust. If you are going to wait more than 30 seconds, turn off your vehicle!
Consider buying large containers of snacks rather than the small snack packages. With a selection of BPA free containers, it is quick and easy to decant snacks such as raisins and goldfish into small holders. Look around for ways to reduce what you use rather than just recycle.
Did you know that the Greenwich Parks and Recreation Department is maintaining all properties using only organic, safe methods? Parks and Rec maintains all the "green" on school properties as well. Maintenance methods include composting, increased irrigation, organic fertilization and over-seeding.
A carbon footprint is defined as "the total set of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions caused by an organization." To estimate this figure, a calculation of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and methane emissions is required.* Greenhouse gases can be emitted through transport, food, water, fuels and services. Ways to off-set the footprint include converting to clean energy and planting trees.
The estimated carbon footprint for OGS annually is 161 tons of CO2--that is equivalent to 29 elephants. Can you guess how many trees need to be planted by OGS to off-set our footprint?
*Energy and transport consumption figures provided by the District.
Leaving your car at home twice a week can cut greenhouse gas emissions by 1,600 pounds per year. Save up errands and shopping trips so you need to drive fewer times. If you commute to work, ask if you can work from home at least some days, and you'll reduce air pollution and traffic congestion - and save money.
When you do home maintenance, also do a home energy audit to find out how you can save money by making your home more energy efficiency. And if every American home replaced just one conventional light bulb with a compact fluorescent light bulb, we would save enough energy to light more than 3 million homes a year.
Take your old computer, DVD player, or other electronics to an electronics recycling center. Reusing and recycling materials like copper, gold, and others saves natural resources and reduces mining and processing. eCycling also helps avoid land, air, and water pollution by capturing and reusing hazardous substances such as lead or chromium
Run your dishwasher only when it's full. Don't pre-rinse dishes - tests show pre-rinsing doesn't improve dishwasher cleaning, and you'll save as much as 20 gallons of water per load. When you buy a new dishwasher, look for one that saves water. Water-efficient models use only about only about 4 gallons per wash.
The Earth might seem like it has abundant water, but in fact only one percent of all water on the planet is available for humans. Buy fixtures and products that are water efficient - you can use less water to get the same job done just as well. When you go shopping, look for the WaterSense label to find water efficient products.
Compost helps improve soil so it holds more water and plants grow better. Allow grass clippings to stay on the lawn, instead of bagging them. The cut grass will decompose and return to the soil naturally. Food scraps and kitchen waste also make good compost, and you save money on fertilizers or other additives.
Be creative as you look for new ways to reduce the amount or kinds of household waste. Give cardboard tubes to pet hamsters or gerbils. Plant seeds in an egg carton. Make a flower pot out of a plastic ice cream tub. By thinking creatively, you will often find new uses for common items and new ways to recycle and reduce waste.
Help protect the environment when you shop. Keep reusable bags on your car seat or near your door so they are easy to grab when you go. And you can even combine shopping bags - just tell the cashier that you don't need a bag, then put all your purchases together in one bag just be sure to hang on to your receipts!
During hot weather, don't top off your gas tank. Refuel your car or truck in the early morning or the evening when it's cooler. A small fuel spill may not seem like much, but every spill evaporates and adds to air pollution, and fuel pumps with vapor recovery systems can feed a spill back into their tanks - after you paid for it. So, in hot weather - don't top off!
If you're doing work on an older home or school building, be sure to follow lead-safe work practices. Contain the work area and keep kids and pets away. Minimize dust. And clean up thoroughly. Lead is harmful to adults and children, and common renovation jobs like sanding, cutting, or demolition can create lead dust and chips.
Test your home for radon. Radon is a naturally occuring, odorless gas that can seep out of the ground into your home. But as the second leading cause of lung cancer, radon is responsible for over 20,000 deaths a year. Fortunately, a home radon test is easy to do, and homes with high radon levels can be fixed.
Children are curious but they are also more sensitive to substances in the environment. Protect children from accidental poisoning by locking up your household cleaners, pesticides, paint thinners, and other substances. Household products are safe and effective when used properly. Remember to read the label.
You can help reduce polluted storm water runoff by just picking up your pet's poop and dispose of it properly. Leaving pet waste on the ground increases public health risks by allowing harmful bacteria or organic material to wash into the storm drain and eventually into local waterbodies. So remember - always scoop the poop!
How about a Greener Halloween this year? One idea that is easy and inexpensive is Costume Reuse and Exchange.
Reuse a sibling's costume.
Alter a costume.
Use what you have at home: sheets, pillow cases for candy bags, etc.
Participate in your school’s costume exchange.
Bring a costume in a zip lock bag with age noted on bag. Take a costume or two home.
Other ways you can make Halloween Green is by composting after the event. You can compost just about everything including the pumpkins, the candies in paper wrappers (remove the plastic and foil wrappers) and anything else of a veggie nature. Mix it all up with the falling leaves, turn a few times, and presto, you have the best starter soil next spring for your plants.
You can do it small. Take a plastic garbage can, pop some holes in the bottom and fill it with your compost, shake and cover until spring. Ask the kids to sprinkle it with a few worms.
With the holidays fast approaching, save money and the planet with rechargeable batteries. Once you have the charger and a few sets of batteries, you will be prepared every time your child comes to you with a controller or toy whose batteries have run out.
Rechargeable batteries last considerably longer than single-use batteries, so using them means fewer batteries for disposal. It also makes economic sense. A four pack of AAA batteries may cost more ($20 versus $5 for non-rechargeable), and you have the initial cost of a charger. But in just a few months the rechargeable batteries will pay for themselves, as you will stop running to the store to buy new batteries.
Thirty-five million live trees are cut each year in the US for a use of about 3 weeks. Each tree takes 7 to 10 years of growth to mature, but most are grown on farms. Live trees were in use for the solstice celebration for over 2000 years. An artificial tree lasts 7 to 10 years and contributes to landfill. Live trees are 93% recyclable. It makes sense to buy an artificial tree if you are going to keep it for more than 10 years. Otherwise, contrary to intuition, a live tree may be greener.
Look for hotels that encourage guests to use less water or energy. Hang up your towels to dry so you can use them again. Use the sheets more than a night or two. When you go out, look for local foods and souvenirs to reduce transportation. Before you go, unplug your computer, DVD player, and other electronics, and turn down your thermostat.
In summer, always apply sun block SPF 15 or more to protect your skin from solar UV radiation. Just five or more sunburns can really increase your risk of developing skin cancer. The sun's rays are strongest between 10 a.m. and 4 p.m. so at those times, seek shade or wear protective clothing such as a long-sleeved shirt.
Did you know that Greenwich Public Schools uses green cleaning products? Since January 2009, it's the law in CT and in Greenwich schools to only use products certified by and labeled as Green Seal Certified or EcoLogo. The law was put in place "to protect the health of its residents and employees by limiting unnecessary exposure to harmful chemicals and limit the harmful effects of hazardous chemicals in the waste stream." We're going greener every day! Thanks for making green choices for healthy air and surfaces in our classrooms, GPS!
Look up next time you are in the classroom and you might notice a small sensor on our Daylight Harvesting lights. How do they work? The sensor picks up how much lighting is coming from the windows and dims the bulbs appropriately. It's smart, and it makes sense. We're going greener every day, it's coming soon to your school! Thanks for making green choices for energy conservation, GPS! P.S. If you're the last the leave the room, don't forget to turn off the lights!
Greenwich High Schools and Glenville Elementary have been using solar panels to capture energy from the sun. Solar energy provides another bright tool for students and teachers to monitor energy use in a school. Thanks for making green choices for energy conservation in our district, GPS!
Is it true that our town can save millions of dollars by recycling? YES! Towns are charged to send waste to a landfill, and are paid when they submit clean items to be recycled. Single stream makes it that much easier, and up to 80% of your waste can probably be recycled, now in one blue bin. It is important that the kids understand and embrace recycling wherever they work and play. GPS supports recycling efforts in the classroom, and in the cafeteria. Thanks for making green choices: Reduce, Reuse, Recycle, everyday! Tour a Single Stream Recycling Plant in this Video
Recycling in the Classroom Guide