Leading the Green Movement At Your School

1. Leading the Green Movement At Your School Jesse Damiano & Danielle Sawyer

2. Goals • To start or to re-energize an environmental club at your school • Develop action plan • Get resources to get started • Ideas for fundraising & events • NETWORKING! 

3. About Your Presenters Danielle Sawyer Jesse Damiano Graduated from Ramapo College in ‘08 with B.S. in Business Management Currently teaches at JFK Memorial HS in Woodbridge, NJ Co-Advisor for Eco-Friendly Club Pioneered Earth Day Fair, America Recycles Day • Graduated from Kean University in '09 with B.S. in Biology, and in '10 with M.S. in Education • Currently teaches at Bridgewater-Raritan HS • Started environmental club at Kean, FOCUS • Sat on several environmental committees to help make Kean sustainable

4. Tell Us About You • For every Starburst you grabbed, tell us either: • Something that you do on a regular basis to help the environment OR • Something you want to start doing to help the environment

5. Why Start a Club? • Spread Awareness • Think Globally, Act Locally • Save Money • Build Lifelong Habits

6. What You Will Need • Advisor/Leader • Administrative Approval • Dedicated Team • Funds • Ideas

7. Getting Started • We will discuss: • Setting goals • Fundraising  • Competitions • Events • Obstacles to overcome

8. Setting Your Goals • What are the goals of your club? • Breakout Session • Introduce Action Plan

9. Fundraising • Organic Bake Sale • Good companies to start: • TerraCycle • GreenRaising • Mountain Mama’s Kitchen Candles • Designing items for your club • T-shirts • Water bottles • Wristbands

10. Programs & Competitions • GreenSchools NJ • Recycle Mania • Green Your School • KAB.org (Keep America Beautiful) • NJ Students Make Service Count • Disney—Project Green

11. Events *Helpful Tip: Create a calendar for your club members! • Earth Hour • Arbor Day • America Recycles Day • Earth Day!! • Environmental Fair • Booths • Exhibits • Games • Recycled Art Show • Community Clean Up Days • Assemblies • Speakers • Field Trips • Conservatory • Recycling Plant

13. Ideas For Your School • Recycle Drive (batteries, cell phones, cartridges etc.) • Green Morning Announcements • Bulletin Boards: • Trash Facts • Mural • Ways to conserve: • Composting • Energy • Biodegradable Materials

14. Obstacles to Overcome • Apathy from peers • School Policies or Administrative Apathy • Leadership • Funding • Communication • Where to start

15. 1. Apathy from Peers • Draw them in with games, (sneak in the lesson) • Set realistic goals • small steps are better than no steps • Accept people who don’t know about it, but that are trying

16. 2. School Policies/ Administrative Apathy • Can’t go against rules (example: energy usage) • Compromise instead • Convince them of benefits • Saving $$ • Fundraise yourself • Prove your independence • Be your own advocate • Go straight to staff yourself

17. 3. Leadership • Select an advisor • Does not have to be a science teacher • You may get turned down • Don’t use guilt • Need a team of dedicated members • Included election protocol in your constitution

18. 4. Funding • Plan no or low cost activities • Eco-friendly fundraisers • Planning way in advance for advance • Start small, next year you will have more options

19. 5. Communication • Morning announcements • School or local newspapers • Select a public relations officer • Open conversation with peers, don’t preach • Use social networks • Setting example by living it

20. 6. Where do I start? • Action Plan!

21. Environmental Club Action Plan

22. Networking • Blog: greenclubleaders.wordpress.com • Teacher pages • Use social networking!