Come Visit my Online Store

Visit My Website

Thursday, June 24, 2010

Green Go the Grads

As you get ready to celebrate High School Graduation 2010, why not add a little green to help make sure your graduation-related events are environmentally friendly? As it turns out showing eco-solidarity at graduation just may be a theme that will catch on this year or in the future.

One way to support this vision may be to party during the daytime. By doing this you are reducing your power consumption by celebrating in the sunshine. If the party continues into the night, use the event as an opportunity to bring out energy saving alternatives, such as; candles and rechargeable batteries for your flashlights and boom boxes.

Our graduates could pin green ribbons to their black gowns during the ceremony to show solidarity in the ongoing fight for a sustainable future. Wearing a green ribbon shows solidarity with your friends and family that are moving towards a greener future. If you show people you're thinking about this, then others might start thinking the same way.

With our high school students in the area set to graduate, I’m wondering how many might choose to get involved and make it a form of action. It could be one way in which students can stand together and let the nation know that they certainly do care about the environment, and that they are willing to take action to protect it.

Perhaps you can begin to think of ways you can make a difference to protect our planet. Think of the activities that take place during graduation and see if you can make them more environmentally friendly. How about hosting a “Green Graduation Party”? Some ideas for this could be:
• Send electronic invitations and request email RSVPs.
• Request that guests use greener forms of transportation to get to and from the party, like bicycles (with helmets) or carpooling. Please have a designated driver.
• Plan the menu with local foods that are in season.
• Freeze leftovers for later meals or arrange ahead of time to donate extra food to the local food bank.
• Be sure table settings and decorations will be reused, rather than throwing away disposables. And remember, reusing is even better than recycling!
• Use potted plants like herbs as centerpieces. Give them to your guests to take home as thank-you gifts or plant them in your own garden after the party.
• Sort out recyclables when the party is over and compost as appropriate.

We have been teaching our students the smaller things that matter, such as; recycling, not wasting water and turning out the lights when leaving a room with no other occupants. These graduates have the choice to conserve or to continue to use a lot of energy. We should be helping them to make the right choice.

Congratulations to all graduates in Cumberland County.

No comments:

Post a Comment