Best Practices

GETTING STARTED

Three R's Hierarchy - Understand and promote the importance of reducing first, then reusing, then recycling. All three are important, but too often we focus on recycling things that we could have avoided using in the first place or could use again for something else.

Low Hanging Fruit – Start small with goals and projects that are easy to achieve. Focus on turning off lights and computers, making signs for recycling and energy use, and changing simple behavior before you tackle bigger projects. Doing this will help you gain traction and momentum with your efforts.

Behavior First, Technology Second – Remember that in order for projects to be successful and sustainable, the proper behavior must be there. Before you install solar panels on your roof, educate staff and students to conserve energy.

Normalize Good Behavior – New studies are showing that when desirable behavior is acknowledged, modeled, and promoted, it becomes normalized. Empower people to become part of a thoughtful, healthy community instead of using scare tactics and daunting statistics. Try to focus on positive outcomes that will happen when we all work together.

PROJECTS and IDEAS

IN THE CLASSROOM/OFFICE/HALLWAY

• Turn it Off – Turn off your lights and computers whenever possible. This makes a bigger difference than you might think!
• Double Sided Copies and Prints – Set copiers and printers to print on both sides of a piece of paper whenever possible.
• Oops Bin – Make an oops bin next to your printers and copiers for one-sided pages that you don’t need. Use this paper to print on when you can, or use it as scrap for notes. PPS will make your one-sided pages into notepads. Go here for more info: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/facilities/3248.htm
• Email Communication – Save paper by sending information via email whenever possible.
• Recycling Paper, Cans, Bottles – PPS provides free recycling bins and containers to schools. Set these up in all rooms. All PPS schools have weekly recycling pickup for these items. Contact Nancy Bond to order bins: nbond@pps.net
• Recycling Batteries, Books, Electronics, Ink Cartridges – Collect these items! PPS will recycle these items separate from regular pickup. Go here for more info: http://www.pps.k12.or.us/files/facilities/RC.doc.Recycling_Poster.March.2010.pdf
• Signage – Work with students to make some signs to go above recycling bins, on light switches, and on bulletin boards to remind and inform people of proper behaviors. Remember to promote reducing and reusing before recycling.
• Party Packs – Put together a set of washable and reusable plastic plates, cups, and silverware to use whenever you have a party or food in your classroom.
• Power Pals/Patrol – Gather a group of students to walk through your building at various times during the week to check if lights and computers are off in unoccupied rooms. Create signs that can be hung on the doors as acknowledgment of good classrooms or reminders to classrooms that left things on. Remember to keep your messages positive.
• Green Team - Gather a group of students and/or teachers to spearhead sustainability efforts at your school.
• Power Strips – Keep computers, microwaves, and other electronics plugged into power strips that can turn off multiple items. This makes turning everything off safer, easier, and will help eliminate “vampire” energy use from electronics left in stand-by mode. 
• Waste Audits – With a group of students, empty a few bags of classroom trash and divide it into categories of specific reusable, recyclable, and waste items. Use the results to find out how well you are reusing, reducing, and recycling. This is a great data-gathering lesson for math teachers!
• Heating & Cooling – Many rooms vary in how hot or cold they get throughout the year. Rather than opening windows or bringing in space heaters, contact Facilities to help fix the problem.
• Worm Bins – Worm bins can be a great way to compost on a small scale. Before you think about having one in your room, consider potential problems: how to ensure only the correct items go in, who will manage it, what happens to it over winter/summer break, how to control pest/insect problems, etc.

IN THE CAFETERIA

• Reduce/Reuse –Promote reusable containers and less packaging for lunches brought from home.
• No Thank You Table – Set up a table for items that students do not wish to eat. They can place cafeteria food and unopened milk there for other students to eat.
• Recycle Cans & Bottles– Make sure there is a bin available for recycling cans and bottles in the cafeteria and staff lounge.
• Reusable Silverware – Have a silverware drive for reusable silverware in the cafeteria. Put out a bin of soapy water for students to deposit forks and spoons after lunch, and Nutrition Services will finish washing them. It can be challenge to monitor and educate students about reusing the silverware to keep them from throwing it away. 
• Reusable Container Fundraiser – Raise money for your school and promote reduction and reuse by having a reusable container fundraiser. Go here for more info: www.onesmallstep.com
• Reusable Bottles/Mugs – Encourage students to drink water from reusable bottles if they are allowed in your school. Consider having a reusable bottle/mug sale that could raise money for your school.
• Waste Free Lunch – Promote a waste free lunch where, on a single day, students reduce, reuse, and recycle everything they bring in for lunch. Go here for more information and resources: http://www.epa.gov/osw/education/lunch.htm
• Plastic Trays – Nutrition Services is in the process of replacing Styrofoam trays with reusable plastic ones. Contact your school’s representative for more information: (503) 916-3399
• Fork It Over – Several times a year Nutrition Services works with schools to donate unused food to local agencies.
• Milk Carton Recycling – Milk cartons can be recycled ONLY IF they are washed, dried, bagged and placed in the recycling dumpster. PPS does not support this at the district level but it is possible.

TRANSPORTATION

• Bike Train – Go to www.biketrainpdx.com to learn how you can start a bike train of neighbors to commute safely from home to school.
• Safe Routes – Safe Routes to Schools provides information on safe ways for pedestrians to commute to school. Go here for maps, routes, and information: http://www.portlandonline.com/transportation/index.cfm?c=40511
• No Idling – Promote a no-idling zone at your school to decrease the amount of exhaust that is released from idling cars waiting for pickup/drop-off.

BEAUTIFY YOUR CAMPUS

• Litter Pickup – Get a team of students together to help pick up litter from on and around your school campus.
• Tree Planting – With approval from Facilities, plant trees around your campus.
• Gardens – With approval and help from Facilities, create a classroom garden on your campus.
• Murals – With approval from Facilities, beautify your halls with environmentally themed murals and paintings.
• Recycled Art – Reuse materials to make art that aids in environmental awareness.

FACILITIES UPGRADES      *Requires money and Facilities approval (do the other stuff first!)

• Bioswale/Rain Garden – Raise money to help your school manage storm water and beautify your campus.
• Cob Structure – Learn about cob building and build a structure on your campus.
• Solar – Install a solar demonstration piece in your school. Facilities will consider adding solar to buildings as they replace roofs.
• Green Roof – Build a structure with a living roof. This will help educate your students about storm water management and C02 reduction.