Going Green at School, reaching Kids in Science, and Geography Classes continue…
Sep
27
Sharing the school run
If you have to use a car to get your children to school, you can cut down on the number of cars all going in the same direction each morning and afternoon by sharing the school run. Organise a group of parents to pick up the number of children that can safely be transported in the smallest car and then take it in turns.
Not only does sharing the school run save fuel, reducing the carbon emissions caused by the cars, but it also saves everyone time and money. Car-sharing also gives you more flexibility as you don’t always have to be there to pick up children after school.
Changing the School’s Approach from Within
It’s all very well sitting on the sidelines complaining that your children’s school isn’t doing enough for the environment, but sometimes you have to get involved in order to change things. Teachers listen to parents – especially if those parents are offering constructive ideas rather than simply moaning about bad teaching or the treatment of their precious offspring.
As a school governor you have more access to the school, teachers, and pupils than you do just as a parent, and you can influence the thinking of all concerned including the other governors.
You don’t need any particular skills or experience to be a school governor. You don’t need to be a doctor, teacher, or lawyer to be considered; lorry drivers, builders, and housewives are just as valuable. You don’t even need to know anything about the education system; you get governor training and learn on the job.
You can apply to be a parent governor at the school your children attend, but you also can apply to a school where none of your children belong (and even if you don’t have any children, you can still become a school governor).
Schools need governors. They can’t make decisions unless they have enough and in many parts of the country not enough people come forward to serve.
Raising awareness of green issues
As a school governor – or even as a concerned parent – you can help the environment by raising awareness of all sorts of green issues.
Ask for an appointment with the headteacher or a teacher your child is keen on to go over your ideas. Keep things very simple and offer to help the teachers and the school rather than demanding that things are changed. Offer to take a class every now and again or to talk to the whole school for ten minutes every so often about green issues. Ask what you can do for them not what they can do for you.
Suggest ideas for making things greener that won’t cost the school money. There’s likely to be little to spare. Some examples include:
Find out who can supply the school with recycled goods like paper and loo roll and offer to negotiate a good deal.
Offer to provide recycling and composting bins. Change light bulbs to low-energy ones.
Set up car-sharing and walking/bus schemes and provide parents with information on public transport.
Getting advice on energy saving
It’s not just the teaching of green issues that’s important but the school itself. School buildings generate a huge amount of carbon: Schools are responsible for 15 per cent of the total carbon emissions from all the government buildings, such as hospitals and government offices, in the UK.
You can help reduce carbon emissions by raising awareness of the problems caused by greenhouse gases.
One practical way to help and to save the school some money is to arrange for an energy expert to come into the school to work out where savings can be made.
Possibly related posts: (automatically generated)
Going Green at School, reaching Kids in Science, and Geography Classes continue…
- Going Green at School, reaching Kids in Science, and Geography Classes
- Initiating Green Projects
- Cutting down on your Car useļ¼helping Solve the Energy Crisis
- Determining to be Energy-Efficient
- Initiating Green Projects continue...
- Office Eco-solution, Bring Green Plants into Workplace
- Sustainable Green Living: Ten Things to Tell Your Kids about part 3
- Sustainable Green Living: Ten Things to Tell Your Kids about part 1
- A Green Home
- Sustainable Green Living: Ten Things to Tell Your Kids about part 2
September 29th, 2008 at 12:44 am
Many of the arguments made in favour of school uniforms have something to do with the safety of the school community as a whole. … School Friends
September 29th, 2008 at 1:01 am
ECOS Organic Paints Green fibres organic cotton towels and sheets, Green fibres manufactures and sells organic and natural textile products for discerning customers who want to purchase quality products. … Natural Organic
June 23rd, 2009 at 10:49 am
Really great concept. Where did you get this content? Do you write everything yourself?