Weekly Green Audit: School Grounds

Continuing on with our green school audit this week, we’re going to take a look at the school grounds. We actually just completed our green audit of home yards – so, you can shift much of that audit into a school grounds audit, only on a larger scale.

School grounds are really important, and a tough green issue. Many schools have a large amount of ground space and want it to look good. However, this doesn’t mean your school needs to use harmful chemicals and pesticides. A big yard can be just as pretty when treated organically.

Questions to consider that are related to your school grounds include:

1. What products are used on the actual grounds – chemical or organic?
2. Do you have a school flower, fruit, or veggie garden? Are you growing these items organically?
3. Do more trees need to be planted for shade, windbreakers, or to prevent water erosion?
4. How much water is the school using? Can you build rainwater barrels, or cut out some grass and have a big sandbox instead? Is there vegetation that can thrive with less water use at your school?
5. Does your school encourage natural wildlife specific to the area, such as bees, birds, and butterflies? If you don’t see any of these native creatures around your school yard, odds are, your school has the wrong sort of plants growing.

More on healthy, green school grounds.