Monday, November 5, 2007

Kids Making a Difference

If you are on the PTA and looking for some inspiration, check out Treehugger.com's Elementary School of the Week posts.

This week they are highlighting Barbara Bush Elementary. This school has received awards from Keep America Beautiful, Keep Texas Beautiful, and the American Forest and Paper Association. The school has an average recycling rate of 237 lbs. of paper per student (are they bringing in their parent's papers from home?). However they are doing it, with that rate they are recycling rate is seven times the national average.

In just 18 months the students and teachers have:

• Avoided 48 metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions
• Avoided the use of 625 million BTU’s of energy use
• Saved 205 cubic yards of landfill waste
• Avoided the use of 434,000 gallons of water
• Allowed 4,836 tree seedlings to grow

Check out the school's website to learn about their corresponding curriculum and the on-site Nature Center which was designed to,

"have a natural area on school grounds where students may study physical features, native flora and fauna, and their inter- and interrelationships. To provide a natural outdoor laboratory for the stimulation of students’ inquisitive scientific curiosity. To help promote hands-on, minds-on learning into the numerous components of Gulf Coast ecosystems. To create an outdoor laboratory easily accessible for all students of Bush Elementary. "

Way to go to our all of our elementary schools that are making a difference!


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