Guest article written by: Dee Fletcher

Green seems to be the big color now-a-days – green technology, green cars, green lighting and more. Green is good. Now, green is coming to a classroom near you, and faster than you think.

Here are a few ways classrooms are going green. Take notes – you can apply these habits to your classroom and save the world, one piece of green technology at a time.

Use It Again
Remember that poster board you were using to demonstrate the effects of carbon monoxide in the air? You can use that again. Flip the poster board over and start using the back of it. You will save cash on materials and provide a good example to your students. The hard part is deciding what you can and cannot reuse everyday. You may find that you can use paper cups for a day, but the cups will begin to develop bacteria after a few days or fall apart. However, you can use plastic cups made from recycled plastic over and over. You could also encourage your kids to bring in plastic, reusable water bottles for class.

Recycle
This one should be almost a no-brainier, but you should instruct your students on green habits and methods of maintaining healthy practices for the world. You can start by educating your students on the location of recycling bins throughout the school. You could even bring in your own bin.

If your state provides reimbursement for bottles and cans, you could have them bring in a grocery bag full of cans or go on a recycling field trip. Your students can save the bottles and cans to receive their refund at a later time, a great incentive. Bottles and cans can also be donated.

Less Paper
Before you know it, your students will have switched to a greener style of living. The next step is getting them to use less paper. Using less paper is easier said than done, but there is a methodology behind it.

First, you must get your students to abandon the idea of using paper for everything. Whenever possible, switch to instructing them on digital formats, such as using online textbooks or reusable formats, such as whiteboards. You may even consider using group projects as a larger percentage of their grade.

Add Some Fauna (Allergy Free-Permitting)

It may not occur to you, but adding plants to your classroom gives off an environmentally friendly feel, as long as you take care of the plants. You may consider using plants liberally throughout your classroom.

Why does this work? Students must first understand the reason for a cleaner environment. Plants and animals are what we lose when we don’t maintain the environment. The environment plays a crucial role in air quality and plants contribute to this.

Your plants will promote a cleaner, greener working environment. Hopefully, we are lucky enough to have this type of environment in our own working facilities.

Pride
You would be surprised how far a little bit if pride will go. Try giving your students a job to perform. They will get the job done, and save the environment one step at a time. Try to explain how important it is to perform this job well and complete it routinely.

Your students will begin to retain a respect for the environment and protect it. You will have made a marginal but great impact within your community. It will come with an undeniable sense of teacher pride. Enjoy it.

About the author: Dee Fletcher is a freelancer and ghost writer, and also enjoys guest blogging. She writes mostly about current trends or events in various industries, but focuses mostly on business, technology, and education. She works from her home in Southern California and loves to visit the beach as often as she can. You can connect with her on Google+.