Educational Programs
Beyond the Classroom
START Metric #4:
Student Orientation
Ideas & Resources
Student orientation provides a valuable opportunity to introduce new students to campus sustainability initiatives and instill environmentally conscious habits from the start. This START metric emphasizes using orientation programs to educate students about campus sustainability efforts and practices. By utilizing school facilities as teaching tools, students can learn about energy efficiency, waste reduction, water conservation, air quality, and sustainable transportation practices.
Incorporating sustainability into student orientation ensures that students are aware of their role in supporting the school’s sustainability goals. This approach fosters a culture of environmental responsibility and helps students develop lifelong habits that contribute to a healthier planet.
Strategies for Incorporating Sustainability into Student Orientation
NOTE: This is not a prescriptive list; it just offers ideas to inspire action and can be tailored to fit the unique needs of each school.
Use Facilities as Teaching Tools
Highlight sustainable features of campus buildings, such as energy-efficient lighting, water-saving fixtures, or green roofs.
Signage & Posters - Highlight Key Sustainability Features
Place signs near energy-efficient systems, green roofs, water refill stations, or renewable energy installations.
Use simple, engaging language to explain the environmental benefits of these features.
Incorporate Campus Tours
Include stops at key sustainability sites, such as recycling stations, gardens, or renewable energy installations.
Use the tour to discuss how these features benefit the environment and align with the school’s sustainability mission.
Host Interactive Workshops
Organize hands-on workshops during orientation, such as building a compost bin, planting in the school garden, or conducting a mini energy audit.
Use these activities to make sustainability concepts tangible and memorable.
Engage Student Leaders
Involve members of sustainability clubs or student organizations in leading orientation activities.
Use peer-led sessions to make sustainability education relatable and inspiring.
Promote Sustainable Transportation
Provide information about public transit routes, bike-sharing programs, and carpooling options.
Highlight the benefits of sustainable commuting for both the environment and personal well-being.
Introduce Recycling and Waste Reduction Programs
Explain the school’s waste sorting system and show students where to find recycling and composting bins.
Use demonstrations or games to teach proper waste disposal practices.
Address Energy Conservation
Teach students simple energy-saving behaviors, such as turning off lights and unplugging devices.
Use real-time data displays to show the campus’s energy consumption and savings.
Share the School’s Sustainability Goals
Introduce students to the school’s short- and long-term sustainability targets, such as reducing greenhouse gas emissions or achieving zero waste.
Explain how their participation can contribute to these goals.
Highlight Opportunities for Involvement
Provide information about sustainability clubs, committees, or volunteer opportunities on campus.
Encourage students to participate in projects or initiatives that align with their interests.
Use Technology to Engage Students
Develop an app or online platform that introduces students to sustainability concepts and tracks their participation in sustainable practices.
Include interactive features, such as quizzes or virtual campus tours.
Integrate Sustainability into Icebreakers
Use icebreaker activities that focus on sustainability, such as sharing eco-friendly habits or brainstorming ways to reduce waste.
Make these activities fun and collaborative to build connections among students.
Provide Reusable Items
Distribute reusable water bottles, tote bags, or utensils as part of the orientation kit.
Use these items to promote waste reduction and sustainable habits.
Encourage Reflection
Include a reflection session where students discuss what they learned about sustainability during orientation.
Use this time to gather feedback and ideas for improving future programs.
Showcase Success Stories
Highlight the school’s sustainability achievements, such as awards, certifications, or successful student-led projects.
Use these stories to inspire pride and motivation among new students.
Follow Up Throughout the Year
Reinforce sustainability concepts introduced during orientation with ongoing activities, events, or reminders.
Use campaigns or newsletters to keep sustainability at the forefront of campus life.
‘How To’ Guides
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How to Encourage Sustainable Food Choices
From the Educated Choices Program, free video presentations, lesson plans, quizzes and additional resources to educate students about how they can help the environment through their food choices.
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How to Reduce our Carbon 'Foodprint'
From the Educated Choices Program, to use during Student Orientation, to empower students to understand how they can reduce their carbon 'foodprint'.
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Ideas for Student Orientation
Ideas for Student Orientation were developed and shared by our partners at Missouri Green Schools.
Schools hold the key to a healthy, sustainable and regenerative future.
They are role-models and incubators that that nurture, educate and prepare each generation for adult life.
Schools have a unique opportunity and profound responsibility to become part the transition to a sustainable, regenerative future in which people and planet can thrive.
But how do we get there?
START: Sustainability Tracking, Analytics & Roadmap Tool was created by schools, for schools, to help them develop comprehensive programs for step-by-step progress towards sustainability, regenerative practice, and student empowerment.
START provides a Roadmap for School Sustainability:
It breaks down school sustainability into clear actions (‘metrics’), such as Minimizing Waste, Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions, and supporting Sustainable Transportation options.
However, research shows it’s not enough for a school to simply reduce its environmental impact.
Students and staff also need to learn about sustainability, and practice it in day-to-day activities, because this impacts their attitudes and behaviors when they leave school. That’s why START includes metrics like Sustainability Events for Students, Sustainability Course Content, and Sustainable Purchasing Practices.
How sustainable is our school now?
Schools use START to measure how sustainable they are now. A school’s START team investigates how their school currently operates to find their ‘sustainability baseline’ for each metric. For example, is our school a beginner, intermediate or advanced in sustainable water use? START enables schools to benchmark, track and visualize their current sustainability levels, as well as hard data around their waste, water, energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
Where should we go next, and do we collaborate for success?
What do we need to do to ‘level up’ in each metric? Once schools have their baselines, START helps them to set goals and plan for progress. START provides a central hub for school members to collaborate, document, and plan their school’s sustainability journey.
START is a subscription-based Whole School Sustainability dashboard.
It requires at least one adult school member to create a school’s START account, but it will need a team (students, teachers and staff) to grow a Whole School Sustainability program.
Interested schools can sign up for a demo or apply to set up an account.
Learn more about START here, and consider sharing the brochure with your school.
Let’s create a better future, one school at a time.
Contact us at guides@greenschoolsalliance.org if you have a free resource to contribute or recommend that can help schools take action around this specific sustainability metric.