IDEAS FOR SCHOOLS

Plan a Earth Day Celebration and invite guest speakers.

Develop an environmental day at school:

• Conserve resources day by reducing the use of water and energy. For example, turn off the lights, carry a water bottle, etc...
• Eliminate the need for garbage cans in the lunch room with a no garbage lunch and make it a picnic.
• Organize a bike or walk to school that day with the help of parents.

Organize an anti-litter campaign for your community.

Start an environmental club at your school.

Feed a Tree: Each classroom or science class creates a bucket or bag of compost or grow worms. Trees and plants can be install with a special ceremony. Each classroom contributes a bucket of soil/compost.

Growing worms:
Materials: Plastic tub or bucket with lid., drill, bedding: shredded newpaper, cardboard, leaves, dried grass cuttings, dead plants, manure or peat moss; sand and soil, shovel, red worms called red wigglers; food waste: fruits and vegetables, coffee grounds, tea leaved, bread, eggshells.
1 square foot equals 1 pound of food wastes.
Drill holes every 2 inches at top and bottom of container for air and water exchange.
Add worms and food.
Worms need to be kept in a warm place.

Plant Bulbs: Each student plants a bulb around the school grounds. Get bulbs donated. Each classroom or grade have special section. Add signs for recognition.

Speak out. Write your legislator asking your representatives to support environmental legislation.

Do a can-can. Raise money and recycle aluminum by holding a can drive.

Let your fingers do the recycling. Save trees by participating in phone book recycling and collection programs or do one at your school.

Beautify your school. Maintain an adopt-a-spot for litter pickup or plantings around school and the neighborhood.

Entertain others. Present an environmental play or puppet show to students in other grades.

Go on a field trip to a nature center, landfill, recycling center, wastewater treatment plant, etc..

Monitor a stream near your school.

Inventory trees and other plants in your school yard.

Hang buy recycled signs on items made from recycled materials or products that are recyclable in your local grocery store.

Conduct a waste audit at your school. Start a school recycling program.

Build blue bird, bat or butterfly boxes.

Raise native fish and release in area ponds or rivers.

Raise money and donate it to an environmental cause.

Decorate a cloth shopping bag for your parents to take with them whenever they go to the store.

Visit EARTHfest 2001 at the Cleveland Metroparks Zoo on Sunday April 21 from 10 am to 5 pm.