What is the benefit of going green

Going green has many effects on the environment, students, and schools. Going green is becoming extremely popular because of its effects on the environment and people. There are many benefits and advantages to going green.

By going green, it greatly affects ones health and well being. It creates healthier air quality and decreases the amount of infectious diseases because of the lessened use of chemicals and pesticides. It increases the health of the students because of healthier eating habits, and better air quality. Also, many workers die in coal mines and oil rigs. Going green lessens the amount of death of workers because going green lessens the decreases the use of fossil fuels. Going green also decreases the amount of money spent in schools on heating costs, electricity, and water.  Since schools save a great amount of money by going green, the left over money can go towards other important things, such as buying computers for the schools

Going green has many positives and it has an extreme amount of benefits. If every school went green, the environment would be in much better shape, and everyone living within it would be much healthier. 

http://mastersinnursingonline.com/2009/25-instant-health-benefits-of-going-green/

http://2010spring.blog.ntu.edu.tw/2010/04/17/green-guideline-for-expo-2010-shanghai-china/

Water conservation

What many schools have begun to do, is find ways to conserve water. Water conservation is important because we use water faster then it takes for the water to recycle back into the environment. In schools, they have found many ways to conserve their water, and to teach their students the importance of water conservation.

 By conserving water, we are helping the environment.  Since people use water up faster then it takes the water to recycle back into the environment,  the use of drinking water treatment plants, wastewater treatment plants and septic systems are used more, to provide enough drinking water for everyone. By using less water, we are using less energy.

Many ways that schools conserve water is by mowing the lawn less frequently because more evaporation occurs when the grass is shorter. This can save 500 to 3000 gallons of water a month. Schools also keep a cover over the school pool when it is not in use, to prevent evaporation. Schools have also have started washing dishes by hand instead of a dishwasher because it uses less water, and also putting posters in classrooms to make students aware of the importance of water conservation. By using less water, it will greatly benefit the environment, and it will decrease the amount of money being spent in schools. 

http://www.jea.com/community/education/efficiency/wisely/save.html
http://www.ehow.com/how_5663639_conserve-water-school.html


http://geoscape.nrcan.gc.ca/h2o/gulf/conservation_e.php

Green school curriculum

A Green school must have a green curriculum. In a green curriculum there are three components: basic subjects such as math and English. The students must also be taught the arts and they must also have green studies, which are hands on experiences in nature. It is important for students to have these hands on experiences because it makes learning fun, and also it helps them learn more about the environment.

The Head Royce School is a green school that is often seen as a model green school for its green programs, and green resources. The educational program has introduced an edible garden for the lower grade students, an ecology unit in the middle school that covers two months, and offered electives for high school students that cover environmental history, astronomy, and global science. The elementary school has also created a musical about the earth. The middle school had a green day where they featured solar energy displays and energy efficient cars. The high school also had a green days where they covered many topics in their workshops, such as “How to launch a career in the environmental movement,” and “land trusts: how they protect open space, farmland, wildfire habitat and the environment.”

Through the Head Royce School’s curriculum, the students are able to learn the importance of going green and are able to come up with effective ways of helping the environment. If every school created a curriculum that was similar to the curriculum of the Head Royce schools, students would find that “going green” is extremely important.

http://www.greenschool.org/curriculum/general-curriculum/
http://www.headroyce.org/page.cfm?p=51
http://www.colerainebc.gov.uk/show.php?id=964

"Reduce, Reuse, and Recycle"

Recycling is a major component in going green and recycling programs are becoming extremely prevalent in schools across the United States. Recycling conserves natural resources, presents a learning experience for the students, and helps schools save money by cutting down on disposal costs. In order to have a successful recycling program, schools must reduce waste, reuse materials and recycle wastes. One of the most commonly recycled materials is paper, but there are many other materials that can be recycled and are often recycled in schools, such as metal and food.

In order to recycle paper, many schools have put boxes in each classroom that say paper only on them, so the students know that the paper must be put there for recycling. Metal recycling is often seen in schools with vending machines or schools that sell canned beverages. In order for a school to be able to recycle metal, they must first contact their council in ask to be supplied with recycling bins for cans. Many schools now have begun to use composts. A compost is where the school can put recycled food such as banana peels, orange peels and apples. This food then turns into soil and becomes great soil for growing plants because it is rich in vitamins.

With recycling, schools can save money on disposal costs, help out the environment, and help students learn about the importance of recycling and helping out the environment.  Recycling is extremely important in creating a green school and it is a great way to help out the environment.

http://www.scdhec.gov/environment/lwm/recycle/pubs/start_school_recycling.pdf
http://www.recycling-guide.org.uk/schools.html
http://www.piranhatt.com/items/plastic_recycling_process.jpg

"Chefs Move To Schools" video

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zH4QbK9dr2E

"Chefs Move To Schools"

Through an effort to reduce the obesity rate in children in America, Michelle Obama created a program called "Chefs Move To Schools." In this program, Chefs partner up with schools within the program and come up with ways to create healthy organic food for the students. This program is a way to limit the obesity rate in the country and also to help children make healthier food choices. Having a chef partnered with each school not only increases the quality and healthiness of the food, it makes it fun and different for the children as well!

This program has become very popular and has spread throughout the United States. There are over 42 million children participating in the program with their schools. The program helps children eat better by giving a planner to each student that suggests healthier food options, and by getting the students to eat more whole grain and organic foods. By students eating healthier, they stay away from processed food, which is not healthy for their bodies and is not good for the environment. By eating organic, it uses less energy, and preserves water because it reduces the amount of pesticides going into the water supply.

Through the “Chefs Move To Schools” movement, children will learn to have a healthier diet and it will greatly benefit the environment. Through the program, less chemicals and unnatural food will be ingested by the students, which will greatly benefit their health.

http://healthymeals.nal.usda.gov/nal_display/index.php?info_center=14&tax_level=1&tax_subject=225
http://www.thefutureisorganic.net/tenreasons.htm
http://www.letsmove.gov/healthierschoolfood.php
http://www.google.com/images?client=safari&rls=en&q=kids+hands+on+globe&oe=UTF-8&um=1&ie=UTF-8&source=og&sa=N&hl=en&tab=wi&biw=988&bih=600

Organic food movement in schools

In an effort to help children grow up healthy, many schools have been purchasing organic food instead of processed food. Organic food is important for children because children eat more and drink more, therefore they ingest more pesticides. Many parents have been concerned about what their children were eating in schools. As a result, the organic food movement has been growing rapidly in schools to increase the healthiness of the students.

Since younger children still have developing organs, chemicals and pesticides are harsher on their bodies. Also, due to their weak immune systems, it makes it much more difficult for children to get rid of the chemicals in their system. At a school in Olympia, called Lincoln Elementary school, the school banned junk food and has also set up an organic salad bar for their students. This school is one example of how to have healthier food options within schools. Many schools have found other ways to help their students eat organic. A great amount of schools in New York, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, California, and New Hampshire participate in a program with an organic company called Stonyfield Farm. This program has helped schools n these states get vending machines with many organic snacks. It is extremely important for students to have an organic diet because it increases their health. Through the organic school movement, students will become healthier and also learn to eat healthier.


http://organiconthegreen.wordpress.com/page/2/
http://www.grinningplanet.com/2006/05-02/healthy-school-lunch-article.htm
http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2004-09-12-organic-food-schools_x.htm