Get ready! National Green Week 2012 is only a week away! For those of you who don’t know, National Green Week is the largest waste reduction campaign in history for K-12 schools nationwide. This year’s event will be kicking off on February 6, 2012, but classrooms across the country can choose any week to be their green week between Feb. 6 and Earth Day (April 22, 2012).
GEF has already grasped the engagement of almost 5,000 schools, reaching nearly six million students for National Green Week 2012, and it’s not too late to join the movement! Each year, the participation and results of the event continue to increase. Last year’s National Green Week resulted in 100,000 pounds of saved trashed and tens of thousands of dollars saved in utility bills, and this year is on track to be even more successful.
Did you know that according to USA Today, every American generates 3.5 pounds of trash each day? Together we can make a difference and divert more of that trash away from the landfill and into recycling bins! Show your support by taking part in the Waste Free Snacks Challenge. Over the next few months, students nationwide will pledge to bring their snacks in reusable containers and weigh the difference in the amount of trash generated, which will allow them to see the power of collective behavior change.
Victoria Waters, CEO of GEF believes this sustainability movement has power and can result in long lasting behavior changes: “By participating in National Green Week 2012, students will learn that simple decisions such as turning off lights, adjusting thermostats, and packing drinks and snacks in reusable containers can add up to big savings in energy and waste. These sustainable habits can last a lifetime.”
U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan also supports the educational advancement toward a sustainable future. He states that “education and sustainability are the keys to our economic future—and our ecological future.” GEF enables individuals to take part in this changing world by providing schools and educator’s with standard-based lessons for National Green Week.
Join the ride and become a member today!
To find out more about National Green Week and the resources and tools that accompany the program, visit GEF’s website. To participate, simply register for free as a GEF member and select National Green Week.
Green Education Foundation (GEF) 
Teachings kids about sustainability at an early age is a great way to help them develop eco-friendly habits as an adult. National Green Week is a fantastic way to help kids understand the importance of sustainability and that their actions will have a tremendous effect on the environment. Even though at The Refinishing Touch we specialize in refinishing projects at higher education institutions, we are happy to see such a great initiative for kids K-12, and hope that many schools around the country can participate in programs such as this one.
Thanks for your support!
Reblogged this on Dr. Matthias Michael – Marketing Experte.
Here’s another good way to start: a green Superbowl Party: http://technorati.com/lifestyle/green/article/how-to-host-a-green-superbowl/
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Thank you so much for sharing this. I am learning so much since recently delving into learning more about how I can become more sustainable and what it actually means. It’s a classroom lesson for all of us.
I’m getting a 404 error on your link?
Sorry about that! We launched a new website this year so we may have missed a few link updates. I’ve made the changes. Thanks for letting me know!
When we begin to look at the world differently, we see differently. When we no longer use the term “green”, making these choices because we do, not because they are “green”, the critical period in global health, welfare and crisis will have passed. There are not two ways of looking at the world, the “green” way and some other way. It is one world and we need to learn how to live upon it sustainably. To this end, I have started my own not-for-profit group, ECO-Tours of Wisconsin Inc. We have an all volunteer staff and have planted over thirty thousand trees and planted over two million tree seeds so far. Thank-you for helping to open the eyes of children!
What you are doing for the planet on this blog is awesome! Thank you for doing what you are doing, when you can do it. The more people who speak in one voice to end the problems that we are having…the better the world is. Thank you for adding to that voice. Let’s keep this momentum even after green week!
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Congrats and look forwarding to working closely http://greensuncities.wordpress.com/
I know this sounds crazy, but one thing I do is that when I have garbage I don’t put it out till all my garbage cans are full, (only 3) but I feel it is a waste to put one out and I am a single household anyway and the same for plastics, but I recycle the cans though.