Global Warming

Brittany E.G.

Going Green at School

Lunch

  • Pack a lunch instead of buying from the cafeteria, this reduces waste.
  • Use a PVC free lunch box made from recycled materials or cotton.
  • Pack a washcloth instead of a paper napkin.
  • Only pack food that will be eaten. Don’t waste by using leftovers from dinner the night before.
  • Use fruits and vegetables instead of foods that have to be packaged such as chips.
  • For drinks, use metal bottles instead of plastic.

Paper

  • Recycle. Use both sides of the piece of paper when writing for notes, papers, or anything else.
  • Teachers- keep grades online, and use power point and email for communication to other teachers or for communication to students.
  • Instead of printing out flyers, use a bulletin board.
  • Students- Use email to turn in assignments, and use the computer to take notes and research instead of printing them out.
  • Don’t print unless it is needed.
  • Read information online instead of printing.
  • Buy recycled paper that is chlorine free.
  • Only buy notebooks when old ones are not completely used up.
  • Create a scrap paper box at school to make the use of paper that hasn’t been completely used yet instead of wasting it.

Other School Supplies

  • Only buy new supplies that are really needed. First, take advantage of hand me downs, extra supplies that weren’t used from the year previously, or items that can be reused.
  • For clothes, use hand me downs or go to thrift stores. If buying new is an absolute must, buy green fabrics like cotton or bamboo.
  • Buy recycled pens or pencils, or biodegradable pencils and refillable pens. Use writing utensils to their fullest extent. 6 billion pens are thrown away a year in the United States.
  • Buy recycled binders as well.
  • Buy green tissues for the classroom.
  • Buy rechargeable batteries that don’t have to be thrown away.
  • For glue, use acid free glue sticks. They are better for the environment and for the people using them.
  • For books, buy used.

In the Classroom

  • Get your school to buy light bulbs that use less energy and are Energy-star rated. Not only do they save energy, but they also save money over time, and last 10 times longer then regular light bulbs. They also put out around 75% less heat.
  • Open the windows and use natural light when it is available.
  • Turn down the air conditioner and open up the windows on good weather days.
  • Check the windows and faucets for leaks. Leaks waste valuable resources.
  • Use real plants instead of fake ones. Use these not only in the classroom, but also in pet’s bowls when appropriate.
  • Turn off electronics when they are not in use. When computers or other electronics are no longer in use, recycle them.
  • Set up recycle bins and spread the word about recycling.

Educate

  • Teachers- Inform students about sustainability and the benefits of going green. 240 pounds of waste are accumulated a year by the average student.
  • Put green concepts into lesson plans, and do projects about green topics.
  • Start a garden or a compost heap.
  • Show a good example by planting a tree for Earth day.
  • Take an environmental field trip.
  • Hold opportunities for environmental service projects such as cleaning up the local park.
  • Calculate the classroom’s ecological footprint.

Transportation

  • Ride the bus to school. One bus takes 36 cars off the road.
  • If taking the bus isn’t ideal, walk or ride a bike.
  • If that isn’t possible either, create a carpool within the vicinity of where you live to save fuel and energy.

 

Sources

"How to go Green: Back to School." http://planetgreen.discovery.com. 2009. Planet Green, Web. 4 Nov 2009.

"Easy Tips for Going Green at School." http://collegecandy.com. 2008. Web. 4 Nov 2009.

"50 Ways to Go Green in the Classroom." http://www.teachingtips.com/. 2009. Web. 4 Nov 2009.

"Going Green at School." http://curriculalessons.suite101.com. 2009. Web. 4 Nov 2009.

 

Going Green With Weddings

 Invitations

  • Buy invitations made without chemicals and are chlorine free.
  • Use vegetable or soy inks with recycled paper.
  • Another alternative is to use tree free paper. An example of this is paper made out of banana stalks.
  • Make sure the invitations can be recycled and are free of plastic or metal decorations.
  • Save paper as much as possible by taking advantage of technology and emailing the invites instead of mailing them.
  • Do the same for the programs and other paper products used in the wedding.

Decorations

  • Use the same decorations at the wedding and the reception.
  • Use organic flowers that are locally raised.
  • Limit the amount of flowers that are used, and decorations in general to save resources.
  • Instead of using live bouquets use silk ones or other alternatives.
  • Use natural decorations that can be collected easily and don’t harm the environment.
  • Use candles made out of beeswax or soy to decrease the amount of chemicals used in the wedding decorations.
  • Use biodegradable confetti, or native wildflower seeds instead of throwing rice.
  • Donate all of the flowers or other decorations to an appropriate place like a hospital.

Clothing

  • Buy a wedding dress that will be worn again.
  • Other alternatives for a wedding dress are buying a used dress or a dress that can be borrowed or rented and then returned again.
  • Buy a dress made from environmental friendly products like organic cotton or bamboo.
  • Use natural makeup that is not only good for the person’s face that is wearing it but is also good for the environment.
  • Use recycled accessories like a purse made out of recycled plastic bottles.
  • Donate all of the clothes to an appropriate place like a shelter that takes clothing donations.

Wedding ring

  • First off, stay away from blood diamonds. They contribute to suffering and conflicts taking place all over the world.
  • Used rings are a good green alternative. Pick one up from a thrift store or consider using a ring that has been in the family.
  • Buy a lab-created ring. Some of these rings make use of recycled materials.
  • Buy a lab made from peaceful diamonds that are made from Canada or Australia or are rated “conflict-free”.
  • Buy a ring made from recycled materials. A common use of recycled materials for rings is the use of recycled gold.
  • Buy rings made from natural materials like wood.

Location

  • Pick a location that is best for everyone. This means that it decreases the amount of time and fuel that is used up by everyone involved in the wedding.
  • Make sure the location is close.
  • Have the ceremony and the reception in the same place. This saves resources.
  • Pick a “green” location like an organic restaurant for the reception or something similar.
  • Have it outside to save resources like the amount of decorations used that are replaced by the natural environment.
  • Pick a smaller location and have a smaller wedding.

Gifts

  • Register with stores that sell environmental friendly products along with organic, fair-trade, handmade or locally made items.
  • Find out where the products at the store you are registering at come from and what impact you are making on the planet by contributing.
  • Ask for environmental friendly gifts or donations to charity.
  • Register with stores that give a percentage of their profits to a charity or environmental organization.
  • For favors do the same thing. Give them gifts that benefit the environment or can be reused without hurting the planet.
  • Another alternative is to not ask for gifts. Donate money to a charity instead.

Photos

  • Get a photographer that uses “green” services.
  • Use digital proofs and cameras. This decreases the amount of paper and chemicals that go into printing pictures.
  • Print pictures on recycled paper or paper made without chlorine.
  • Share photos online instead of printing them out for all of the guests. Think of the amount of paper that will be saved!

Food

  • Use all organic items. This means anything from vegetables to flour to icing. It is both better for the environment and for the people that are eating the food.
  • Use a local food provider that grows organic food.
  • Use vegetarian options as much as possible. When not possible, use free-range meats and dairy products.
  • Get married when the food that is wanted is in season.
  • For the cake, don’t use plastic decorations. Instead, use natural decorations like flower petals.
  • Rent tableware instead of buying disposable plastic or paper tableware.
  • Another option is to buy biodegradable tableware that does the same job.
  • Compost and recycle everything that is left over.
  • If not, donate the food to an appropriate place like the homeless shelter.

Honeymoon

  • Go somewhere that is close or stay local. This saves resources in the amount of fuel that would have been used to get to the honeymoon’s location.
  • Stay away from cruises, and consider going to an eco-friendly location instead.
  • Take a trip that benefits the environment or contributes to an environmental organization.
  • Take advantages of touring eco-friendly sites whenever traveling on the honeymoon.
  • Stay in a green hotel. This way, you will be contributing to the environment just by paying for your hotel room.
  • When possible, use a bike or public transportation for transportation.

Sources

"10 Steps to a Green Wedding." http://sierraclub.typepad.com. 2009. Sierra Club, Web. 16 Dec 2009.

Woodhouse-Keese, Sheryl. "Green Wedding Ideas." http://www.ecomall.com. Web. 16 Dec 2009.

"How to Go Green: Weddings." http://planetgreen.discovery.com. 2009. Planet Green, Web. 16 Dec 2009.