What Does Going Green Really Mean?

I work with a lot of teachers and students who talk about “Going Green”. Whole schools have decided to have a “Going Green” theme. But, what does going green really mean?

One of my biggest pet peeves is when people stick anything possibly related to the environment under the overall heading of going green. Please don’t get me wrong, I think it is great to encourage students and adults to think about their impact on the environment and to be better stewards of the Earth. At the same time, lumping all environmental problems together without providing more information or context can lead to misconceptions and misinformation. Plus, it is a wasted opportunity to delve deeper into topics of environmental concern.

Recycling is a great example of this. I have worked with students who whole-heartedly believe that recycling will 100% end climate change and put a total stop to acid rain and deforestation. During a Going Green Earth Day extravaganza, somebody put a lot of emphasis on recycling without giving the students the science surrounding the topic. Kids were told that recycling is important and taught to separate paper and cans and that was that. When I asked these students what happens after they put their bottles in the blue bin, not one of them could tell me. Many adults couldn’t answer this question either.

Rather than stopping at sorting recyclables, I wish these students had been informed about what happens at a recycling plant or been allowed to explore where recyclable materials end up. I recently took a trip to a paper recycling plant. I saw paper shredded, and baled, and then I was surprised to see all of the bales loaded into a shipping container that would be put on a boat to China that same day. Although recycling is very important, the fossil fuels emitted to get the recyclables to China is an interesting point I think students should be aware of. Talking about the different types of machines used at a recycling facility is also a great way to capture student interest and get them thinking about why we recycle in the first place.

Better yet, doing product life cycle activities can incorporate recycling in addition to other science concepts. By asking students to carefully think about where the raw materials for a product come from, where in the world the materials are made, the steps it takes for the product to land in our hands, and then what happens to the product when we’re done helps students see the bigger impact of what they use, rather than just focusing on recycling alone. It also allows teachers to incorporate some really interesting technology and engineering components in addition to the environmental science. Googling “Product Life Cycle Activities” will yield all sorts of fun lessons for students of all ages. Personally, I like having kids take apart different appliances to see where in the world the different parts are made. I recently had students take apart a toaster that had parts from 4 different countries. And those were just the parts that were labeled!

I just gave the example of recycling, but composting, turning off lights, and buying organic are all topics that get lumped into the heading of Going Green. Each of these topics is more complex than they seem, and they all deserve a little more attention. Even young learners can handle real scientific information, and by giving them context for all of these Go Green behaviors, we encourage students to be more thoughtful with their choices and take better care of the planet we all share.

Michaela Labriole