Children learn by example and if they see the adults in their lives working on the three “R’s”, reduce, reuse, recycle there is a good chance that they too will become environmentally responsible. Setting up a green classroom may seem like like a daunting task but its really very simple to do. There are many eco-friendly school furniture products available as well as many ‘green’ school supplies on the market.
Teachers can make many small and easy changes in order for their classroom to be more eco-friendly. To help get you started on your way to a greener school year here are several tips on how to run an environmentally friendly classroom provided by Danielle Crofford Fetters.
Have Recycling Bins Available
Encourage the children in your classroom to recycle everything from plastic drink bottles, aluminum cans to paper by having clearly marked recycle bins in the classroom. If new recycling bins are not in the budget, simply use discarded cardboard boxes or school furniture boxes from the office.
Turn Off Lights When Leaving The Classroom
Set an example for the children in your classroom by always remembering to turn off the lights and other electronic devices whenever you leave the classroom. You could even appoint a child the job of light monitor and let them be in charge of insuring that all lights are turned off in the classroom whenever you leave it.Turning off lights when not in use is good for the environment and your schools budget.