Make an impact on the school environment: Green Apple Day of Service

Published on: 
July 21, 2016
Author: 
Jesse McElwain

Wondering how you can make an impact on the school environment? Join us for Green Apple Day of Service 2016! 

On Sept. 24, join communities around the world in making school environments healthier and more efficient spaces to learn, work and play. Here are some ideas for how to organize a Green Apple Day of Service event that focuses on reducing our collective effect on the environment: 

Reduce energy use by assessing school lighting. How, when and where is energy consumed around the school? Are there opportunities to replace old, ineffective lighting with more energy-efficient, better-quality products? Can equipment be turned off or powered down during non-use hours?

Check out this video about a recent LED lighting retrofit project at Leckie Elementary School in Washington, D.C., led by Center for Green Schools partner Energy Focus.

Rethink your school’s use of water resources. Are there opportunities to conserve water and teach students about the value of saving this important resource? Are there simple ways to put rainwater to use? (Hint: planting a school garden or installing a rain barrel are great ways to retain and reuse stormwater.) 

Reduce, reuse, recycle. What if some of the items we send to the landfill go elsewhere instead? How can we improve school recycling programs to divert as much waste from landfill as possible, and are there ways for schools to reuse nontraditional forms of waste, such as food scraps and textiles?  

Tips for measuring your impact: Take note of how many kilowatt hours of energy are saved, gallons of water conserved, pounds of waste kept out of the landfill or square feet of wildlife habitat restored or created. Then, share your accomplishments with us.

Want more ideas? Take a look at our full list of opportunities to get into your schools. 

Take action. Make an impact.

Sign up today.

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