Tricks to Kick-Start the Year on a Green Foot!

Now that we are well into the 2018-2019 school year, we would like to share some ideas on how to kick-start your school year on a Green Foot. Whether you have a green team, your administration leads the green initiatives, or there is a classroom who integrates the earth into their curriculum, we hope to inspire everyone to waste less and become more energy efficient this year!

Each year there are new students at schools, some students who might have recently moved to your community, or may have switched schools. These new students would like to be introduced to your school’s green habits, such as turning off the lights when leaving the room, using reusable water bottles, drying their hands with only one piece of paper towel after washing them, or making sure waste is sorted properly. Similarly, returning students may need some reminders about the school’s green habits after the summer. You can incorporate these reminders during morning announcements, and also using signs by light switches, recycling bins, water fountains and paper towel dispensers. Maybe your school has a green team that could visit each classroom, and explain those habits to everyone. Each school knows what works best for them.

A fun way to kick off your green school year is to watch the Sammy the Sasquatch video and complete the Classroom Energy Checklist activity. These resources serve as both a reminder of what you were doing last year and an inspiration for all the emerging projects that your school might accomplish in the future.

Fundraising is always a hot topic during the start of the new school year, and why not make your fundraising activities green? You guessed it, we have a how-to guide! Please check out the Green Gift Basket Support Package for ideas.

Starting new green initiatives is easy with our awesome support packages. You may want to try a Lights Off Monday (Slideshow), WasteLess Wednesday, or Phantom Friday (Slideshow). These resources are short and give you everything you need to implement great initiatives at your school, including an action plan and extra resource links. Also, remember that your Green Schools NS Engagement Officer is always ready to pop by either in-person or virtually to help you with your green initiatives.

Last year’s Staples’ ‘Superpower Your School’ winner, Petite Riviere Elementary School has already kick-started their year green by teaching both their new primaries and all new students that we only need one piece of paper towel to dry hands. They also introduced new students to the habit of turning off lights when they leave the room, and that on most days, not all lights are needed. Students are also learning how to power down their classroom for the weekend. What a great start to the school year!

We always love to hear stories from all our green schools, so why not share how you are kicking-off your greenest school year yet?

~Natalie McMaster
Engagement Officer