Schools are some of the biggest contributors of human waste. Every day, hundreds of students gather in schools, along with their teachers and other members of the school administration. Every day, they generate a lot of waste. All of this human activity contributes to the detriment of the earth.
If you were not previously aware of your school’s carbon footprint, chances are, it’s greater than you thought.
From equipment to energy use
Every piece of equipment in the school contributes to the carbon footprint of the institution. All the brand-new computers you bought this school year are the biggest offenders. Things don’t stop there; the energy you use to power up these equipment also contributes to the carbon footprint of your school. All the gadgets and cars, as well as the lights needed to power every corner of the school, these also contribute to the overall carbon footprint.
How can you improve this?
Knowing that all of these offenders are important in keeping a school running, is there anything you can do to reduce your school carbon footprint? Yes! The biggest change is to buy secondhand, or to repair rather than replace items that can still be used. There are refurbished equipment that can work as well as brand new, without them having to require raw materials and manufacturing from scratch. If you must buy brand new, consider inverter-type equipment or appliances, as they can help you save on energy use.
What about the lights? You can utilize natural light by strategically placing windows and walls, or you can also switch to more energy-efficient lighting fixtures. Your aim is to light and cool your school in a passive way rather than using energy for everything.
There is a lot that can be improved in the way your school operates. If you put green practices at the forefront of your educational curriculum, you can do plenty for the environment.