As we close in on Earth Day 2012, it seems fitting to reflect on the school's dual role in environmental protection.
Like all entities, schools have an environmental footprint. Those in the school generate trash. They use energy for heating, lighting, photocopying and so on. Schools are cleaned using chemicals that have environmental impacts. The list continues.
But schools also have a very unique role in environmental protection: They help students become conscientious stewards of (and advocates for) the environment, protecting it for themselves and generations to come. As we look to schools in the effort to preserve our environment, we should consider both roles to maximize their impact.
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Of course, simply by minimizing their own environmental footprint, schools can do a great deal to help the environment. As Redmond (WA) environmental science teacher Mike Town...
