August is a very busy month!  Summer vacation is coming to an end, everyone is trying to fit in vacation time with loved ones, and trying to accomplish those last minute outdoor activities before summer comes to an end.  However, with summer vacation officially almost over, that means only one thing…back to school!  As most kids are dreading the end of their 3 month vacation, parents are jumping up and down for joy.  However, there is still a lot to do before the first day of school, such as, supplies and clothes shopping and much needed haircuts.  But as we are all busy gathering everything on our lists for our children to have another successful school year, we often over look a major detail…is your child’s school environmentally friendly?

This may seem like an absurd question to ask but recycling can play an important role in how your child performs in the classroom.  “According to the U.S. Green Building Council, green schools, on average, use 33 percent less energy and 32 percent less water.” For example, Great Seneca Creek Elementary in Germantown, MD “skims about $60,000 off its annual energy bill and conserves about 43 percent—or 360,000 gallons—of water each year.”  Today, some 50 schools across the United States are turning green and have seen improvements environmentally, academically, financially, and health wise which have been impossible to ignore.

As you can see, conserving energy and water throughout the year can save the school thousands of dollars, and you know what that means – more money for vital supplies. When schools save money on things like water and energy, teacher jobs are safer, books are kept current, facilities are kept in shape, and everyone benefits. However, water and energy are not the only ways that schools can cut back.  What do teachers and students use every day? Pencils, books, food items, paper, paper, paper, and more paper! All day, schools are rapidly using and throwing away things that can be recycled instead! By recycling the material items that both teachers and students use throughout the year, schools will be able to cut back on waste disposal costs and provide even more of a financial boost that they so desperately need.

Check back next week to see how starting your own entirely green business opportunity could help your local schools save more and be environmentally friendly at the same time!

Source: http://www.schoollibraryjournal.com/article/CA6472363.html