Environmental watch
Helping Schools Get Healthier
We remember watching a teacher sponge blue cleaning spray across a table where our preschooler was about to eat snack. Our anxious minds spinning from the chemical cleaner to thoughts of toxic drinking water and time release pesticides lurking in the otherwise delightful preschool grounds.
A challenge of awareness can be keeping a realistic perspective. We’ve learned to check our worries at the classroom door and instead focus on providing schools with non-judgmental support to make some easy changes that are educational for us too.
We start simple with snacks, cleaning products and lawn care. If the school community seems receptive, we might look at air quality, drinking water, outdoor play structure materials, or introduce recycling.
Healthy snacks. Some schools provide snacks, and kids usually like to eat the same thing as their classmates rather than bring their mom’s version from home. We’ve found a few ways for parents and teachers to collaborate on snack menus.
Parents can participate by bringing the class snacks for a week on a rotating schedule. It’s fun for kids to pick out food for their friends, and they feel proud when their snacks are served. We offer to create the schedule and provide a list of food suggestions with the teachers.
Another idea is to collect a little extra money from parents for a snack fund that covers any added school expenses for buying organic. Purchasing dry goods in bulk can also reduce costs.
Cleaning products. Kelly brought in a few bottles of non-toxic cleaners for Amelia’s preschool teacher to try. The teacher was so appreciative–apparently the year before another parent had supplied the same cleaners for the class.
If we give teachers or administrators a list of cleaners to pass on to their cleaning services, or bring products into class, they’re usually receptive. We always talk to them first to see what works best for them–and Healthy Child Healthy World can be a helpful reference for inspiring schools to change to greener products.
Lawn care. Pesticide free lawn care (which includes slow release fertilizers) can be a trickier project. Schools may have a landscape company handling the play yard. We talk to school administrators about alternative approaches. We might volunteer to organize a weeding day or find a local source for non-chemical lawn care.
Green team. Many schools create a green team of parents and/or teachers who share green living ideas at parent meetings or in school newsletters. They can help source recycling, compostable utensils and plates for school events, arrange non-toxic cleaning and yard care, or start a composting program (kids love worms and gardening).
A green team also may be as simple as one parent offering ideas.
Healthy Schools Resources for looking at air quality, play structure materials and more:
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