Schools and Educators

Pack waste-free lunches

Encourage students, teachers, and parents to pack lunches that generate zero garbage. Here are some resources to help:

• Waste Reduction Week
• A Month of Litterless Lunch Ideas

Also, say NO to bottled water. Use refillable bottles and tap water.

Recycle and compost as frequently as possible

All schools should have access to recycling and composting bins by now. Did you know Halton Region is the first in Ontario to offer composting bin service in all schools? Practice using your bins as frequently and as correctly as possible. If more bins are needed, discuss with those in charge.

Ensure bins are placed well, near high traffic and high garbage areas (eg. cafeteria, school entrances) to capture the most recyclables, without people having to walk too far to access a bin. Did you know that for every pop can you recycle it saves enough energy to power a television for 3 hours? (Halton Region’s “Waste Diversion Guide”).

Learn about Halton Region waste diversion workshops for schools plus waste management site tours here.

Turn off lights not in use

 If a room is unused for a period of time, ensure lights are off to conserve electricity. Ensure classroom lights are off at the end of the school day before heading home. Is daylight bright enough that lights can be turned off during class?

Conserve paper

Strive to minimize paper use. When something must be printed or photocopied, try to print double-sided to conserve paper. Use recycled or FSC certified paper.

Ready for More?

Form an eco group

This is an important step to provide a forum to identify, discuss, and act on any eco issues of concern at your school (eg. waste reduction, better waste diversion, energy conservation, greening up school grounds, promoting public transit). Members can also attend the BurlingtonGreen Youth Network (BGYN) meetings to see what other schools are doing, ask questions and share their successes with others. An eco group provides a good foundation for implementing many of these green tips.

Promote walking & biking to school

Make your school more conducive to walking and biking by actively promoting these modes of travel. Watch these “Walking to School” promotional videos:  Part 1 and Part 2.  View a teacher’s guide here.

Also, visit Active & Safe Routes to School for more information.

Audit garbage bins for recyclables

Is your recycling program working? Even when recycling/composting bins are available nearby, people often still don’t use them, or contaminate them with incorrect items. If this is happening, your eco group can investigate why, and how it can be improved.

Is more awareness needed? Do you need simple signage? Can bins be placed somewhere better? Do you need more bins? Does it need to be enforced by school staff? Often positive reinforcement is beneficial when people do recycle (eg. saying, “thank you”) just to let them know people are paying attention and are appreciative.

Inspect your school’s grounds for litter

In your eco group, assess the state of litter on school grounds and in parking lots. Is it excessive? Does it remain there too long? Investigate why this is happening and how it can be improved. Are more garbage cans needed in high litter areas? (by sidewalk, bus stops).  Do those responsible for litter cleanup know it needs to be done more frequently? Are students aware that staff and fellow students are concerned about the problem and want to see it improved? Sometimes people just think no one’s paying attention and no one cares, so it’s no big deal to throw garbage on the ground.

Promote awareness campaigns

Here are some ideas on different awareness campaigns to bring into your school. Some allow you to register your school, and some offer prizes too!

• Burlington’s anti-idling campaign
• National Sweater Day (early February)
• Earth Hour (late March)
• Earth Day (April 22)
• David Suzuki Foundation’s 30×30 nature challenge (May)
• Earth Overshoot Day (summer)
• National Tree Day (late September)
• Waste Reduction Week (mid-October)
• Waste-free Lunch Week Challenge (mid-October)

Incorporate environmental education into lessons

Plan a field trip! Organizations such as Conservation Halton offer great opportunities for students in all grades to connect with nature.