Don't "Waste" an Opportunity for Climate Action!
Our second Climate Action Day of the year is coming up on February 7! Climate Action Days are a fun, creative learning opportunity for entire school communities. They are also a way that any school can get started with climate action. Each day will be based on a theme, and will showcase the importance of climate education and sustainability practices. Our next theme will be waste!
Did you know? A Department of Sanitation study found that nearly 85% of the more than 40,000 tons of waste generated in New York City's schools can be recycled, composted, or reused. That's why we're proud to say that over 1,600 schools are already taking part in the Department of Sanitation's Curbside Composting program, with plans for all of our schools to join by the end of this school year. Through Curbside Composting, schools receive specialized training, equipment, and ongoing support to make their efforts to reduce waste a success.
In addition, all elementary schools take part in monthly Plastic Free Lunch Days. We partner with Office of Food & Nutrition Services and Cafeteria Culture to serve lunches without plastic packaging!
To participate in Climate Action Day, every school will choose activities—or create their own—to best serve their students and interests. Students can help reduce waste on Climate Action Day (and all year round) at their school by:
- Bringing their own reusable water bottles
- Only taking what they know they will eat in the cafeteria
- Participate in a "buy nothing day" where you only use what you have, or swap secondhand
- Have a "litterless learning day," only using digital or fully recycled educational materials
Take a look at what some of our schools have already done to promote Climate Action in their communities to get inspired for next month!
Students at P.S. 068 made their own energy board game to learn how to reduce energy use for our Climate Action Day in December.
A student at the Michael J. Petrides School in Staten Island sorts their lunch waste into containers for trash, recycling, and composting to reduce how much winds up in a landfill.
Students at P.S. 188 The Island School in Manhattan showing off the waste they collected on Plastic Free Lunch Day, which is celebrated monthly in our schools.
Even more ideas on how you can join us in celebrating our waste-themed Climate Action Day, including other activities and projects that you can do, check out our Sustainability Resource Bank.