On January 16, teachers implementing the Green Schools Challenge (GSC) and Water and Energy Learning and Behavior (WE-LAB) came together at the program’s Mid-year Meeting to share success stories regarding energy and water conservation and waste reduction at K-12 schools in Miami-Dade County. This program was kindly sponsored by the Carton Council and Miami-Dade County Public Schools.
The Challenge began in October with 115 K-12 schools enrolled in the GSC and WE-LAB programs. Over the past four months, teachers and staff have created Green Teams; encouraged students to take a ‘green’ pledge to commit to reducing energy and water and environmental sustainability; conducted a ‘walkthrough’ survey of their school to identify areas of energy and water waste; and have taken action to spread the environmental conservation message and reduce the amount of electricity and water consumed, as well as waste produced. The GSC and WE-LAB encourage students to create lifestyle changes to safeguard our environment and future.
The green initiatives undertaken by K-12 grade students are inspiring. For the month of December, DIG staff collected projects focused on water conservation and received videos, songs, fieldtrip reports and watersheds models. For the remaining three months of the Challenge, students will be encouraged to think about alternative transportation options, green buildings and green careers.
On their journey to become environmental stewards, students enforce change that spills over into their homes and motivates parents and neighbors to follow their footsteps and understand the benefits of environmental sustainability.
Click here to view photos of GSC/WE-LAB Mid-Year Meeting
