Greening Our Schools, Part IV

This is the last of a four part series of Greening Our Schools. You can find the first three parts here: Part I, Part II, Part III.

GREEN SCHOOLS – PARENT PARTICIPATION

Although this finale is named Parent Participation, it should correctly be named People Participation. You, whether you are a parent or not, are needed as an ally for greener schools. We are all connected to schools even if we don’t have children attending them because schools are a huge part of our communities. We need to partner together in order to truly create a green and healthy environment for our children.

You can actively encourage and demonstrate green decisions by your purchases. Buy eco-friendly and non-toxic school supplies. Pack a lunch in a reusable container (there are so many with cool designs now), wash and reuse plastic bags, send drinks in refillable containers, etc. If your school, like many in San Diego, is asking you to help a classroom buy it’s class supplies, then buy recycled or reusable products instead of single use or virgin paper. Consider local products over imported. You, as a consumer, have purchasing power that can send a message to the retailers and distributors; to be more environmentally responsible or to carry more eco-friendly products.

You are also encouraged to go back to school to learn your vowels, AEIOU:

• Advocate for greener programs and healthier learning environments in schools.

Go to school meetings, talk to teachers, look around the campus for improvements, be known, be loud, and don’t give up.

• Educate yourselves on policies and laws affecting children and schools, such as the Child Nutrition Promotion and School Lunch Protection Act of 2009 (govtrack, H.R.111-1324):

To amend the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to improve the nutrition and health of schoolchildren and protect the Federal investment in the national school lunch and breakfast programs by updating the national school nutrition standards for foods and beverages sold outside of school meals to conform to current nutrition science,

And the Child Nutrition Act Reauthorization which will be reviewed this September (govtrack, S.108-2507),

An original bill to amend the Richard B. Russell National School Lunch Act and the Child Nutrition Act of 1966 to provide children with increased access to food and nutrition assistance, to simplify program operations and improve program management, to reauthorize child nutrition programs, and for other purposes.

• Initiate action by approaching school administrators or the school district with ideas or with specific green programs.

If you are a parent who likes to garden, start a wildlife habitat or an edible garden at your child’s school. Start a composting program or anything else that interests you. Start packing a zero-waste lunch and encourage others to do the same.

• Operate and maintain the green programs as a volunteer since teachers and administrative staff are already overwhelmed by the states buckling down on the budget.

Green teams are needed for the green programs to be successful. If you can’t commit to a school-wide program, at least commit to a class or office project. For example, there are green fundraising ideas where they pay schools for inkjet or laser printer cartridges and cell phones, with contests and bonuses. Take charge and leave a container in a class and take on the task of collecting it and sending off the recyclables for reimbursement.

• Undertake the responsibility to share your knowledge and experiences with other parents and the community.

There are many bloggers now who are writing about green topics. Lynn Miller, in particular, wrote about her experience in trying to become an active green mom at her son’s school, Green Schools: Five Lessons Learned the Hard Way. If you don’t blog, find someone else who does to write about your experience, or talk to your neighbors, or even get a local paper to do a story on the school.

You can even take action now by clicking on slowfoodusa.org.

If you are stuck or need help and don’t know where to start or don’t have the funds, do some research or seek out those who can research. The trick with internet researching is cross-referencing and using keywords that are similar to uncover hidden gems. There are so many resources out there for planning tools, finding funds and grants, and even state-approved curricula to relieve teachers from having to create new teaching materials. In an effort to educate and propel schools and parents to foster green programs, I have created a page of resources.

If you are a parent, a grandparent, an aunt/uncle, or even a neighbor of a child, advocate for green programs in schools, don’t get left behind waiting for over-worked, budget-cut, stressed-out schools to add onto their diminishing programs. Help create environmentally conscious education now. Our future will be founded on our actions today. Our children are our future, what kind of leaders do you want them to become?