My Turn: Being good stewards of the Earth as the school year begins
This is a hard article to write… Back to School… teachers want a few more weeks, rising Kindergarteners are excited and anxious to see their new room, new teacher and new friends and the rest of the students are probably ready for the routine of school. Here’s wishing all of Gaston County educators and students a bright and productive year of learning.
Since we are still two weeks out, it is time to dig out all of the school items that can be resurrected for another productive year. This is your opportunity to model good green habits for your kids. How can you be a better steward of our Earth? By teaching your kids that there is a value and a cost to everything they use, buy, consume, or throw away.
As a very first step, it is important to get that list of things your child will need from the school or teacher. Match this list to the items you already have, and don’t buy new unless you must. This is the perfect time to stress to you child that you can be a great person for the Earth by not over-consuming.
Before buying anything, check online options as well as local stores; what makes the most sense for your wallet and your carbon footprint. If you can combine a few school stops in one outing, it may be better than multiple Amazon drops. If you are in the market for purchases, look for things with recycled content. There is a label on the products that do contain recycled materials. When we purchase these things, we are ensuring that recycling works, and the circular economy is viable. Many clothes and shoes today contain recycled plastic water bottles… impress your kids that you are saving the Earth of unwanted plastic and helping our waterways. Find secondhand stores for clothing. “New to You” works well! Every time you buy a used item, save that extra money in a “bank” (even if it is noted in your bookkeeping software) and watch your savings increase.
I watch our grandkids as they choose and eat foods. I can bet they will prefer a sandwich from home (something they love) over an unknown school lunch. If you have the opportunity to pack a lunch, you will be, hopefully, using a lunchbox with inserts that are reusable and sustainable. If your child doesn’t finish their whole lunch, you can now teach them the value of composting food waste, enriching your own soils and again, being good stewards of the Earth. A reusable water bottle is a must. Print their name on the bottle, and they will have fresh water ready all day (if allowed in the classroom).
How does your child get to and from school? Very few children are within walking distance, so most kids have transportation of some kind. The best is for your kids to be delivered directly to school. They only leave for school when it’s the right time and prompt pick-up. If you are fortunate enough for this setup, see if there is a possibility to form a carpool in your neighborhood, so many families can benefit. Of course, a school bus is a great and free option, but kids may have a longer commute time. If you are driving your kid(s) to school, remember to turn your engines off if you are waiting in line. Any excess emissions need to be avoided next to school buildings.
Find out about recycling in the school buildings… schools can have plastic water bottles and certainly paper that can be recycled (no food waste). This could be a good classroom activity if the teacher is amenable to this idea. Wishing the best for this next school year… 2023-2024 is underway!
Nan Kirlin is the recycling coordinator for Gaston County.
This article originally appeared on The Gaston Gazette: My Turn: Being good stewards of the Earth as the school year begins
