Recently, the Student Conservation Association (SCA) announced the winner of their Green Your School Contest, challenging students to make their schools as sustainable and eco-friendly as possible.

The winner, West Geauga High School in Ohio, set an amazing standard for schools everywhere. What they’ve done is inspiring for those of us who strive to make our homes and communities as green as possible too.

Here’s a list of these students’ accomplishments:

• Hosted a “Better Bulbs” event in which 400 CFL and LED bulbs were distributed to the community and all of the old, incandescent bulbs in a local building were switched out for eco-friendly versions.
• Implemented a bulb recycling program at their school.
• Created a rain barrel made and decorated by students to divert runoff from storm sewers and provide water for an outdoor classroom garden the students built.
• Implemented a bottle and can recycling program at their school.
• Created a nature trail for students, complete with benches made from recycled composite wood and steel, as well as native plants planted along the trail.
• Organized a field trip and seminar to educate the community about preserving Ohio’s vernal pools.
• Testified for a bill that would make the Spotted Salamander, a vernal pool dweller, Ohio’s state amphibian.
• Created a “power walk” that captures energy from students’ footfalls as they walk to class that is then converted into power used to light hallways – sounds amazing!
• Created an outdoor cafeteria and patio where students can eat and appreciate nature. There are plans to plant a vegetable garden nearby.
• Integrated eco-initiatives into the school’s curriculum so students learn about eco-friendly practices while satisfying Ohio state education requirements

Great job kids! What an inspiration to see groovy, smart kids making a difference.

What kind of eco-initiatives are happening near you, and what’s one thing you can change in your home or community to make it more eco-friendly?

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