Green Tips #12 – Develop an Eco-Action Plan

By Jason Giovannettone, Director of Climate and Sustainability for the Sisters of Mercy

Step 3: Develop an Eco-Action Plan

In our last Green Tips articles, we covered the first two steps that are essential towards improving your school’s overall environmental footprint: forming or expanding a green team and conducting a detailed audit.

Based on the results of the detailed audit, your school community can develop an eco-action plan with a list of concrete goals and structured timetable for accomplishing these tasks. You will likely have brainstormed several potential projects after discussing the audit results; these will need to be reduced to a set of specific projects that your team would like to prioritize.

Devise an eco-action plan that includes lists of tasks, materials needed, people involved, costs, and a timeline for completion. Include targeted goals that can be measured. Remember to share your final plan with the school to ensure that students, teachers, staff, and parents are aware of your goals and can take part. Examples of projects may include:

• Conduct an energy audit
• Reduce energy consumption
• Create a butterfly garden
• Reduce single-use plastics
• Initiate a successful recycle/compost program

What eco-action projects are unfolding in your school communities? Let us know at mercyedu@sistersofmercy.org.

Quick Tip for Schools and Homes: Tri-Fold Presentation Boards

When preparing for a science fair or classroom presentations, please consider requiring or supplying sustainable tri-fold presentation board. Select cardboard over foam or plastic to ensure it can be recycled if not reused.

Look for products that are certified by the Sustainable Forest Initiative (SFI) or the Forest Stewardship Council (FSC) as being made from sustainably managed forests. Also look for products made with post-consumer recycled content (PRC). Two companies to consider are Pacon (SFI-certified; 50-60% PRC) and Geographics (80% PRC).