Pledge Ideas

My goal this semester is to live more sustainably. In order to reach that goal, I pledge to:

  • Gardens/ Horticulture
    • Create or improve a school garden
    • Grow native plants for students to plant
    • Eat food from a/the garden at least X times per week
    • Try at least one new food from the garden
  • Green-building, Building Greening
    • Use blinds in a way that conserves power consumption
    • Transition to a more energy efficient system of lights as less efficient models burn out
    • Plant a tree to shade the south side of my house/class/school
    • Install/ask parents to install low-flow shower heads
  • Green Spaces/ Conservation
    • Adopt a…road, river, park!
    • Volunteer for a local conservation group or environmental restoration project
  • Energy
    • Raise money to purchase renewable AND sustainable power!
    • Turn off lights whenever I leave the room
    • Turn off monitor/computer accessories/ when I leave the room for a long period and at the end of every day
  • Food and Health
    • Buy local one more time per week – at farmers market, restaurant, etc.
    • Give up fast food, or limit to once per month
    • Not use disposable water bottles and ban them from the classroom, offer washable mason jars near a water fountain for students who forget to bring a bottle that day.
    • Eat one more serving of fresh fruits and vegetables each day
  • Water
    • Only run dishwasher and washing machine when full, use recommended settings (cool or cold water for front end loaders is preferred for most detergents now)
    • Wash dishes using a dish tub and only run the water when rinsing
    • Limit or stop use of lawn chemicals, especially in places it can run or leach into ground water or storm drains with precipitation events
    • Turn off faucet when brushing teeth, shaving, lathering hands, etc.
  • Transportation
    • Carpool once/one more time per week
    • Drive only when necessary and use human-powered forms of transportation whenever possible
    • Use alternative transportation one more time per week
  • Waste Stream
    • Research and learn about WHAT is recyclable where you live
      • Recycle as much as you can
      • Educate your family and friends on how and what to recycle
    • Use both sides of paper, and keep a bin at the printer for scrap and reprints
    • Start a compost pile or worm bin
      • Encourage school-wide participation and at-home participation
    • Consider the products you use every day – are they available in bulk or is there a way to use less packaging?
      • Re-consider body wash vs. bar soap
  Links to Inspiring Pledges: Green Education Foundation Pledge University of Washington Pledge Emory Sustainability Pledge Tips to Create Permanent Changes]]>