The article will explain how classrooms can be made more eco-friendly. The details will be given in two main frames. The article will discuss how to make classrooms more eco-friendly from both the managerial point of view and the educational point of view.
How to make classrooms more eco-friendly?
To make classrooms more eco-friendly from both the managerial point of view and the educational point of view. The practices that will be mentioned would include the following.
- Energy conservation
- Resource conservation
- Reuse mindset
- Recycling and composting activities
- Energy audits
- Reducing paper waste
- Preferring digitisation
- Software based assignments
- Installation of smart and energy efficient appliances
This can be done through steps and practices that will reduce the environmental impact and will render classrooms more sustainable and eco-friendly. Some important steps are given in the remaining sections of the article.
Resource conservation
It is a known fact that schools also rely on resources both renewable and non-renewable resources. Therefore, it is rather important to make sure that the dependency is more polarised towards renewable resources rather than non-renewable resources.
There are several ways by which schools and the administration that runs the school can be wise with the resources. These include steps such as
- Substitution of renewable resources and reducing the use of non-renewable resources.
- Being careful about the use of resources. Turn off lights and fans wherever needed. If possible, install automatic and motion-sensitive systems to be more careful with resource consumption.
- Continuously check for leaks and repair works to make sure that there is no damage or drainage of resources.
- Latest systems must be installed because the latest systems will be energy-efficient and this will be good for both the economy and the environment.
- The structure of classes should be made as such to make them the airiest and the exposure to sunlight should be maxed. This will lead to less resource consumption.
- Proper damping and insulation must be done in school to save resources
- Encouraging students for regular energy audits of both their school and their homes. This will make them energy responsible from a very young age.
- Instead of paper assignments, software-based assignments and tasks should be preferred to make schools paper-conservative.
Energy conservation and efficiency
Another great way to help the environment is by shifting to energy-efficient appliances because these appliances will consume less energy and thus, there will be a decreased dependency on non-renewable resources.
Examples of these smart appliances may include LED bulbs, smart thermostats, motion-sensitive lights et cetera.
When you switch to these energy-efficient appliances, not only better utility is offered, you will have fewer bills to take care of, and the environment will be given less pressure to deal with.
Incubating the reuse mindset
The classroom can be an excellent place to develop the reuse mindset. There can be three standard types of bins in the classrooms so that the students would know which type of waste goes where.
Also, the students can be engaged in several activities such as reuse competitions where the students can be given waste material such as used bottles et cetera and the group with the best reuse project can be rewarded (as BF Skinner said that reward leads to more action).
How can students be taught to be more eco-friendly in classrooms?
It is rightly asserted that schools are the places where students and people are taught about theory and practices. The initial thought process and subjective perceptions are shaped greatly by schools.
Therefore, it is believed that if an eco-friendly mindset is made an inevitable part of the school curriculum, then there will be a lot of positive impacts as the students can start their eco-friendly practices from a very young age.
Here are some ways to make schooling more eco-friendly
- The students must be given waste management lectures. The students can also be demonstrated how to compost at home and recycle at recycling centres. In-class activities can also be arranged.
- Both the parents and apprentices must be enlightened about sustainability. Regular seminars could be held to create awareness and daily practices to render one more sustainable.
- The schools must arrange waste-free events and must teach the students how to be waste free.
- The students must be engaged in activities such as waste-free events and they should be asked to actively participate in energy conservation.
- The students must be given DIY projects or competitions to incubate the reuse and recycle mindset.
- The students can be engaged in reduce and reuse competitions where the best student or group can be awarded for their resource reuse project. Students must be encouraged to save paper and shift to online whenever possible to save trees.
Conclusion
It is concluded that the article explained how to make classrooms more eco-friendly. Various theories and practices were given, explained, and suggested that can render schools more sustainable and eco-friendly.
References
- (June 1, 2022). 6 ways to make schools more eco-friendly. Retrieved from: https://www.cobis.org.uk/our-network/blog/blog-demo-page/~board/blogs/post/6-ways-to-make-your-school-more-sustainable
- Derell, Tracy, Environmentally Friendly Classroom: 5 Simple Tips for Going Green. Retrieved from: https://www.wgu.edu/heyteach/article/environmentally-friendly-classroom-5-simple-tips-going-green1801.html