Green Classrooms and Schools

Apr 22, 2018 APNU Column, Features / Columnists

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Guyana is pursuing a model of development aimed at becoming a green state. Education at all levels of society will be necessary if we are to achieve this goal. It is an established fact that the power of the classroom can reach beyond its doors, to address the issues concerning society in general, thus green classrooms and green schools will have to be established.
Presently our classrooms and our schools are far from being ‘green’. Our schools were not designed with environmental awareness in mind. Considering the transformation that will be necessary might seem daunting for administrators in the education sector, but it will be necessary. Minds will have to be converted; buildings will have to be changed, all towards making our schools more environmentally friendly.
Historical energy sources like fossil fuels are limited, they also contribute to global warming when their waste products are burned. Guyana is ideally placed geographically, we enjoy an average of 12 hours of daylight all year round. The sun provides clean, infinite energy that technology now allows us to harness.
In an ideal world, installing solar panels at a school is hugely beneficial. Though it does require initial funds, improvements in technology have driven down the cost of solar installation, but for us it will be a worthwhile investment.
While outfitting a school with efficient solar panels seems like a costly endeavour, there is a range of easy, quick ways to utilize solar energy in the classroom to improve the environment, such as:-

Letting in more sunlight: In green construction circles, a practice called ‘daylighting’ is used, which installs properly designed windows and skylights to increase natural light. One of the simplest ways to use solar energy is by allowing sunlight into the classroom. Not only is it a free way to keep the class well lit, but studies have also shown that greater sunlight in the classroom improves student performance and health.
With increased natural sunlight in a room, many classrooms will not require overhead lighting to see during lessons. Teachers can also be encouraged to incorporate solar energy in lesson plans. There are many sites online that can serve as resources for solar energy teaching material. While passing this information onto students may not diminish a school or classroom’s carbon footprint, it helps create students who will be more conscious of their energy usage both at home and in the future.

Encourage Classroom recycling efforts: Recycling is one of the most popular approaches towards embracing a greener classroom and/or school. Classroom recycling can be as passive as having a separate recycling bin in the classroom, or as active as learning more about the process to implement school-wide changes or visiting a recycling centre if one exists in the country.
No matter how small the action, recycling is an essential part of maintaining the environment and teachers must first start by explaining its importance to students. Without a fundamental grasp of the purpose and necessity of recycling, much of the benefit of passing on the practice is lost. Teachers must therefore educate themselves on the value of recycling before embarking on a school recycling project.
Not all students will find recycling particularly interesting, at first. As is often the case in school, the activity will most likely need to be enhanced in order to appeal to students. Start by encouraging students to bring in recyclables and keep track of totals. Hold competitions, both within the class and between classes.

Start a school Garden: School gardens provide an enjoyable and unique way to get students physically engaged in their lessons and to teach them an environmentally beneficial skill set. A school garden is more than just seeds and soil; it becomes a part of the community. And most importantly, such a project teaches students valuable lessons related to the environment and leading a more sustainable life.

Start a composting project: Gardening and composting tend to go hand-in-hand, especially in conjunction with school garden projects, and according to most experts, gardening without composting only teaches half the lesson.
Composting is the process of transforming organic matter, which decomposes to create an organic, nutrient-rich fertilizer or additive to soils. Involving a simple yet detailed and potentially lengthy process, younger students learn many valuable lessons centred on science and the environment. Older students are able to conduct research that involves concepts of biology, chemistry, and physics. In the end, students participate in a process that incorporates the importance of reducing, reusing, and recycling the solid waste they produce.

Teach the value of water conservation: Over 97% of the Earth’s water supply is ocean salt water, unusable to humans; another 2% is also unusable, captured in the ice caps and glaciers. This means that only 1% of the world’s water supply is accessible, and with the world’s ever-increasing population, water conservation has become a crucial part of environmental literacy.
Teacher and school administrators can monitor school water usage, oversee water pipe maintenance, and institute policies that encourage conservation. Teachers can also play a significant role in instilling the importance of water conservation to their students.
Educators have several avenues to consider when promoting responsible water-related behaviours that reach beyond the classroom. For starters, incorporating the education of water conservation and the consequences of overuse into the curriculum can be an extremely effective method, and there are plenty of water education materials available to teachers.

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