All of you have calculated your emissions and you have surely discovered the unexpectedly high impact of some of your behaviors (eating meat, flying to a sunny destination, etc.) on your total footprints.
Are there any behaviors that you are really willing to change or to improve for the sake of the environment? What challenges do you encounter or think you will encounter while trying to change these things? What help, support, and insights from others would make your life easier with these new behaviors?
Let's discuss these issues and make our pledges here!
Now It's Time for Action >
Schools
Schools are one of the largest public sector consumers of energy, producing the equivalent of 18 coal-fired power plants or 15 million cars each year. That usage is also the second-largest source of expenses for districts. Because of this, schools have the responsibility to take action to combat their contributions to the carbon footprint. Schools have the ability to help lower greenhouse gas emissions while also saving money. They can reduce energy usage through renewable sources like geothermal heating and cooling, LED lighting, and solar energy. Electrical school buses may seem like a big investment, but they can greatly reduce emissions that come from diesel powered buses, which create air pollution that harms not only the climate but also student health (https://www.gse.harvard.edu/news/uk/21/ … -footprint). I know that our school produced wind energy with a windmill, and we are getting some electric buses in the future, and we compost, but I think we need to continue to integrate energy efficiency into our school systems, whether that is with recycling, sourcing local food, using eco-conscious suppliers, decreasing the school’s heat loss and need for heating and cooling, or eventually installing EV chargers.