Green Students

Becoming Green Students

With over seventy five and a half million students in America, from ages five through fifty five, tons upon tons of waste is created.  Colleges and universities account for about three and a half million of these tons, or equivalent to 2% of America's total waste.  When the waste from high schools, grade schools and pre-schools are added to this a real problem begins to appear.  Here we will look at how we can become green students.

• Transportation : How you get to school can have a big impact on the environment.  Here are a few green suggestions.  Ride a bike, it's an environmentally friendly form of transportations and it's good for you.  Only about two and a half percent of all students ride a bicycle, but those students are saving almost one hundred thousand gallons of gasoline a day.  A school bus is another good option, the energy savings is about 5 to 1 over driving a car.  If a car is needed try carpooling.  For parents sending kids to school carpooling can not only save many gallons of gas, lots of money, but also many hours of your precious time.  Wouldn't it be great to only drive to a from school one day a week as opposed to five.  What I did when I was a kid is still an option also, I'm sure kids still know how to walk.  Chances are pretty good they will not be walking five miles in two foot of snow up hill both ways, like I did.  It was worth it though, I had so much fun getting to and from school.


• Lunch : Again, it's OK to do like I did.  I brought a healthy lunch that my dear mom packed for me.  I can't ever remember complaining about it.  Some green lunch tips to keep in mind are lunch boxes, not brown bags, real silver ware, no plastic and re-usable food and beverage containers.  Pack what you will eat every day and there is 0 waste, no plastic to end up in a land fill.


• Paper : Paper is one of the biggest sources of waste in all schools.  Start by trying to use both sides of a piece of paper.  When the paper has no further use recycle it.  When a ton of paper is recycled seventeen trees are saved.  If your school does not promote recycling, you better get it started.



• Pencils : Be the class spokesman for recycled pencils.  Get the whole class doing it and make it fun.  Pencils are made from all kinds of things that might otherwise end up in our landfills.


• Pens : This may not be a popular idea but use a refillable pen.  The cost is about the same as disposable pens and you would not be contributing to the 1.6 billion a year that hit the landfills.


• Crayons : Nontoxic crayons made from soybean oil is the green option here.  There is no reason to buy those made from paraffin wax, derived from petroleum.  America is the worlds largest producer of soybeans, we have plenty and they are sustainable.


• Markers : If you can find them, use markers that are water based and have refillable heads.


• Chalk : Chalk gives off airborne particles know to aggravate asthma and other respiratory illnesses.  Find, and purchase, dust free chalk.  If it is not used in your school send some with your child and have them try it.  It is a good way to provide healthier air for our kids to breath.  An even better solution to chalk is to get the schools to use whiteboards and nontoxic dry-erase markers.


• Schoolbooks : The best green solution to school books is buying used ones and selling them back when you are done.  About 10 billion dollars worth of text books are sold each year.  This is a good place to make a stand and be part of the solution.  My daughters high school has an interesting solution to this problem.  Every class in the school has a set of textbooks that remain at each desk, all day, class after class.  Every student is issued a set of books to take home and leave at home.  They are returned to the school at the end of the year.  When it comes time to do homework, not once have I heard "I left my book at school"


• Vending Machines : 98% of high schools, 89% of middle schools and 43% of elementary schools have vending machines.  In my mind this is so wrong and is not what many of these out of shape and overweight children need.  Avoid the vending machines, carry a re-usable water bottle and bring your own healthy snacks.  Do your part to keep a little more is this packaging garbage out of the landfills.


• Recycle : Does your school recycle?  If not, pitch a fit and get it done.  If they do encourage your classmates to participate.



• Supplies : Adhesive notes can be found made from 100% recycled fiber and at least 30% post-consumer content.  Binders and notebooks are also available from recycled material.  Find file folders made from recycled paper and recycle them when you are done.  When buying paper look for post-consumer recycled as opposed to pre-consumer recycled paper, it uses less energy to produce making it a little greener.


• Plastic : Avoid buying products that contains PVC.  This type of plastic is made from toxic chemicals and is commonly used to produce backpacks, folder covers, rulers,  raincoats and many more items your children may need for school.

One important concept to truly understand about being a green student.  Students of all ages, young and old, attend school to learn.  You, as a student or parent, can teach other students, and even teachers, by setting a good example.  Be a leader in the green movement, others will like what they see and follow your example, thus becoming green students and green teachers.