The school is an important part of every community. Our children go to school in order to grow and learn. Parents, teachers, and students must all work together to ensure that the environment is clean, safe, and fun.

Sustainability education in schools is more important and common than ever. It is important to encourage children at school to develop environmentally-conscious habits that they will carry on into adulthood. It can be achieved in a variety of ways, including through in-school programs, community events, and the promotion of environmentally friendly school cleaning. Check out our list of top tips for making your school green and clean:

Promote recycling and composting.

Significant amounts of landfill waste can be easily recycled, reused, or repurposed. San Diego’s city audit found that 76% of landfill waste is actually recyclable. You should provide enough recycling bins on the playgrounds, sports fields, and classrooms to encourage your students to recycle as much as they can.

Composting bins can be a great addition to any school if space is available. Children can learn about composting and return food scraps to the soil.

Signage that is easy to read and understand should be placed on all bins so that children can use them correctly. Include diagrams and colorful pictures as well as words.

Grow a School Garden

Most households are no longer able to grow and prepare food due to the convenience and ease of grocery delivery and supermarkets. It is beneficial to get students involved in maintaining and planting a school’s garden. This will teach students about food production and gardening skills, give them fresh fruits and vegetables for their school snack or take-home, and get them outside of the classroom.

Take part in community cleanup days.

Many places in Aotearoa are close to rivers or oceans. Reserves, parks, and camping grounds are all popular places for community cleanup efforts. So keep an eye on local events. Encourage parents and children to participate by promoting the event at your school. You could even arrange a shuttle service to transport a school group to the site.

Create your event if there are none in the area. Plan and promote the event with the help of the students. Every little bit helps, even if you only do a small street cleanup around your school’s boundary.

Enviroschool

Aotearoa Enviroschools is an excellent way to teach sustainability to your students. Enviroschools, which is available from early childhood education through secondary school, aims to empower students to act and think sustainably. The program teaches children how to be responsible and care for the environment, as well as other areas of their lives. It also teaches them about Maori principles and cultural diversity.

Find out what’s happening in your area, and get involved.

Turn off the light

Lighting can make up a quarter or more of your electric bill. Switch to energy-efficient bulbs. They are more efficient and last longer. Posters can be used to remind teachers and students that they should turn off the lights when they are leaving empty rooms.

Go paperless!

There is an endless amount of paperwork in schools. Consider options to reduce the use of paper-based administrative systems. Forms, personal records and attendance records, billing, banking, and ordering stationery can be done online or via computer if funding and resources permit.

Carpooling to School

Encourage and facilitate the use of carpooling by families in your school. Connect new parents to other families who share the same area when they enroll in school. Post carpooling information and posters in the office and classroom to encourage more people to participate. You can also get to school by walking or cycling – you could organize a “walking shuttle” for students and teachers who live nearby!

Clean your house with green.

It is important to keep a school healthy and clean for both students and staff. Commercial cleaning is not good for the environment because it uses harsh chemicals, lots of water, and disposable clothes.

Crewcare provides professional and environmentally friendly cleaners for schools and education centers. We have an environmental policy that is based on sustainability. We only use environmentally friendly cleaning products. Our microfibre system reduces the amount of cleaning products and water needed.