Greening your school

You probably recycle at home. You may even have a compost pile. Perhaps you take a mug to the office instead of getting your daily caffeine in a throwaway paper cup.

But what about taking these simple, eco-friendly steps in your child's school? Do you know if your kid's classroom recycles all those papers and worksheets? What about cafeteria waste?

The Go Green Initiative gives parents, educators, and community members a framework to help schools put easy environmental measures into place.

This program focuses on recycling, composting, paper consumption, the environmental impact of activities, and educating everyone about environmentally responsible behavior. Schools in all 50 U.S. states, plus in Africa, Asia, Canada, Europe, and Mexico have successfully participated in the Go Green Initiative.

The program is free to join, and anyone can introduce it into their school. Check out the frequently asked questions for background info., and then download the planning guide (PDF). The group offers plenty of resources to help you along the way to greening your school.

A mother named Jill Buck started the Go Green Initiative at her kitchen table in 2002, and the results have been impressive. In just one year, Go Green schools kept nearly 3 million pounds of paper, 10,906 printer cartridges, and 21,000 pounds of food waste out of landfills. In 2006, Go Green schools reduced their greenhouse gas emissions by 1,389 metric tons.

Once kids are recycling, composting, and reducing waste at school and at home, this builds lifelong habits. We can raise a generation who is committed to a clean, healthy environment from the start.