I would say I consider myself to be as 'green' as I can. One thing I have learned in my quest to reduce my carbon footprint is that being green is often very expensive! I would love to do more, but being a recent graduate that continues to be underemployed, means I do the best I can with what I have.
Schools across the country are dealing with the same issue, lacking the funds to create a healthy, green environment for the children. Pureology is teaming up with Global Green USA for a school makeover competition. I think that, like myself, most people/businesses/families/etc. are doing the best they can with the resources they have available. Unfortunately, many schools do not have the resources or the funds to carry out much needed repairs or to be more green, and they are subjecting children to unhealthy classrooms, inefficient energy, lighting, poor ventilation, shall I go on?...
When a school goes green, the children benefit - as does the environment. Everyone wins! Research has shown that green schools lead to
- improved school performance and attendance: test scores can improve as much as 20% when children learn in classrooms with natural daylight and non-toxic building materials
- more funds for student resources such as textbooks, computers, etc: green upgrades can reduce energy costs as much as 40%
- reduced carbon footprint: take that global warming!
Every child deserves a learning environment that's safe and free of harmful toxins. Global Green USA is working hard to make this happen. You can help by nominating a school of your choice for a Green School Makeover. You can also learn more about other projects by signing up for Influenster and completing your own challenges.
