Going Green 11

From PCPC’s e-newsletter #11, June 8, 2009

Stepping Towards Sustainability!

Childcare Centres can help children develop a positive and respectful relationship with the natural world, and environmentally-responsible habits for life! Centres can provide endless opportunities to model environmental responsibility, inspiring our fellow members and children to tread lightly on the Earth.

The environmental impacts of running a Childcare Centre are significant: the carbon dioxide emissions from transportation and energy use, the solid waste created, the natural resources consumed for the production of school materials and food, and the water used, to name a few — but by making a few deliberate efforts, we can keep little feet from making big footprints on the Earth!

One great way to kick your Centre’s sustainability efforts up a notch is to designate a Sustainability Co-ordinator within the Centre — this can be a permanent position for one of your families (ensure that this someone is always paying attention to sustainability)!

What might the Sustainability Co-ordinator be responsible for?

• The Sustainability Co-ordinator works with the teachers, the Board and the members to promote environmental sustainability — they work to reduce the Centre’s consumption of water, electricity, and new materials, and to minimize waste production and carbon dioxide emissions resulting from the Centre’s operation. This involves encouraging those who make the purchases for the Centre to buy second-hand, locally sourced, biodegradable, and otherwise eco-healthy products.
• The Sustainability Co-ordinator is also available to support the teacher’s Environmental Education efforts with the children.
• The Sustainability Co-ordinator may also write a regular ‘green comer’ column in the Centre’s newsletter, or on the website, and involves parents in carrying out Centre sustainability projects to fulfill their community hours.

What can you do to ‘green’ your Centre?

In deciding which projects to kick start your Centre’s sustainability efforts, you’ll need to consider the need, the time and financial resources involved, obstacles likely to be encountered, and whether the project will get people involved in and excited about sustainability.

The following are some relatively quick and easy projects to consider:

• Decrease the use of new paper by setting up systems for electronic correspondence, buying ‘second-hand’ art paper and business papers; using only cloth towels, rags and napkins instead of paper
• Bringing a set of real cups and plates to all Centre meetings, picnics and events instead of using disposables
• Encourage parent helpers to bring healthy group snacks that are minimally packaged, minimally processed, organic and local when possible and affordable
• Ask families to pack ‘boomerang’ lunches (in reusable containers that will go back home instead of disposable packages)
• Consider the environmental impact of your Centre fundraisers, and eliminate or ‘green’ those with negative environmental impacts
• Donate battery-operated toys or use only rechargeable batteries
• Help the students plant a vegetable garden and make a compost bin, and spend time playing and learning in these
• Invest in, or make some picture books, games, and toys that help children explore and learn about the environment
• Plan an Earth Day celebration or bring children on a field trip to a larger Earth Day festival

PCPC challenges you to think critically about the environmental impacts of your Centre and to collectively set ambitious goals for ‘greening’. Can you cut your solid waste production in half? Can you eliminate the use of new paper products? Can you off-set your carbon emissions? Can you carve out time every day or every week to let the children explore nature? A Childcare Centre can be an excellent vehicle to inspire environmental responsibility — let’s make the most of this opportunity!

Buildings and Green Power — What Can You Do to Help?

• Use locally appropriate, locally fabricated materials when building or renovating, to avoid the carbon cost of transporting heaving supplies!
• Reduce your energy usage 20% by downsizing when choosing your next home or office
• Say no to carpeting
• Buy green power, or ask your utility to offer it!

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All 'Going Green' articles on one page »

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