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Sustainability in Schools

As students, have you asked yourselves, “What has my school contributed to the betterment of the environment?” No? It’s a very good idea to start asking these questions.

Do you remember grade school? Teachers were constantly explaining the significance of recycling and cleaning up after ourselves. Notice that as we aged, the schools have stopped the conversations of the essentiality of environmental health. When we were younger, they claimed that we must start at a very young age to understand our effects in the environment. Why did we stop?


Environmental education should be implemented through all grade levels. These curriculars are extremely important, it should be a requirement instead of an option. We do not have an option when it’s too late.




Has your school taken in these steps?

  1. Recycle

  2. Use both sides of papers

  3. Print only what you have to

  4. Turn of the lights or/and any other unused appliances to conserve energy

  5. Reduce lunch waste

  6. Promote environmental friendly activities: beach clean up, creek clean up


Does your school provide these?


1. A garden

  • Enjoy the beautiful nature even inside the school! We are able to appreciate the beauty and encourage us to get out and enjoy it.

2. Recycling bins

  • Reduce fossil fuels usage.

  • Conserve energy and resources.

  • Create local jobs that will benefit your community!

3. Water fountains to refill reusable water bottles

  • Renewable resources that will further damage the environment.

  • An alternative instead of using plastic bottles that will end up in the landfills.

4. Reuse books instead of buying new books every year.

  • Will greatly conserve resources and energy.

  • Establish the culture of environmental responsibility.

  • It teaches students to reuse and recycle.




What exactly is sustainability?


Sustainability is the action of awareness of how every system on Earth is connected to each other. It is also the idea of making considerable choices that are significant for the greater good of our environment. Sustainability consists of three ideas, ecological, social, and economic, all these concepts are interconnected. Ecological includes the idea that one little impact affects all living things. Social presents the dependability of the public health to environmental health. Economics demonstrates the link between environment and the economy. For instance, if the environment is under poor conditions, this will negatively affect the other species, including humans-us.

Photo taken by Croda Personal Care


School, for example, is an interconnected system. The teachers, staff, students, even the classrooms are all part of the system. All play a role to maintain sustainability- just like our environment. You as a student has the role of educating yourself and others, as well as partaking in positive impacts that will benefit our environments.


In simpler words, environmental quality keeps our communities healthy- which affects public health. From the smallest insects, to the tallest trees, we are all interconnect. If one impacts another, it will affect all living things on our planet.


The Importance of Environmental Studies

As the next generations of future leaders, knowledge about sustainability and stability of our environment are primary factors. The youth should have the education that will support their knowledge of environmental issues, its effect, and how it can be solved. I believe it is our civic duty to understand the importance of taking care of our one and only home.


As students learn, they are able to conduct their own research, and spread the awareness. Some might even discover that their passions are preserving our environment. The tiniest actions of using reusable straws, to utilizing paper bags can greatly impact our environment and reduce our carbon footprints.

Photo taken from Southwestern University


What environmental studies teach you:

  1. How to use resources sustainably

  2. Having the knowledge on how to partake in impactful deeds/acts

  3. Creating awareness on preservation of our environment.

  4. Recognize environmental issues.

What now?

Although most of us are physically away from school, it should not contradict with educating ourselves about our current situations. Climate change is real, air pollution is worsening, and our ecological footprints are increasing. The days might feel dragging, or maybe it feels as though it’s going too fast, but this gives you an opportunity to take action. Start with educating yourself.

Photo taken from Columbia Daily Spectator



Works Cited

#climatechange #sustainability #schools #recycling #recycle #preservation #greeneducation #greenfuture #education

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