7 Steps to a Green School
Adapted from Eco-Schools International
1. Establish A Green Team or Eco-Committee
The Green Team is the heart of the Green Schools process, both organizing and directing activities at the school. Consisting of the stakeholders of the school environment - students, teachers, custodians, facilities managers, parents and school board members - the Green Team is democratic and can often be run by the students themselves. Whatever the type of school or age group, student involvement in the committee is essential. This group can be charged with coordinating many of the greening activities, making recommendations to relevant school decision-makers, and facilitating communication among -- and actions by -- the whole …show more content…

Greening programs can often unify the whole school and strengthen community relations. Your school might consider partnering with external organizations from the community to benefit from their experience and expertise. In some schools, environmental consultants have offered to take part in the environmental review process. Many local government agencies and utilities offer free advice on energy, recycling, and hazardous waste management. Schools should also consider the wider community when preparing action plans - for example, schools could offer to be the local recycling point or to be a drop-off for Community Supported Agriculture boxes. Some schools get involved with clean-up or habitat restoration at nearby parks or share their experiences in other ways. A communication and publicity program keeps the school and the community informed of progress through classroom displays, school assemblies, newsletters, or other press coverage. Communicating is key to spreading success and inspiring more actions. Annual Earth Day celebrations - organized around April 20 - can offer an opportunity to showcase actions taken by the school and bring together the school and wider community.
5 Steps to Go Green at School
If you’ve got kids in school, you have an ideal place to combat climate change and the harsh effects it has on the developing world.
According to Statistics Canada, nearly 5.3 million children spend