Understanding The Go Green Initiative

The Go Green Initiative is a nationwide program to introduce recycling and other green and environmentally helpful practices to schools. It began in 2002 when a PTA council president in Pleasanton, California named Jill Buck wanted to increase environmental awareness in local schools. Since then, it has grown to be a national and even international movement, with schools all over the U.S., as well as Europe, Asia, Africa, Mexico and Canada becoming Go Green Schools.

Over the last decade, awareness and understanding about environmental issues has grown quite a bit, which is why the Go Green Initiative has become such a popular cause. The Go Green Initiative is based on five basic principles, which spell the word "green."

1. Generate compost - this teaches children about the principles of growing and recycling. It is also instructive about gardening, farming and the source of our food.

2. Recycling - children are taught to recycle as much as possible, both in their schools and at home.

3. Educate - students, parents, teachers and the entire community on the benefits of recycling and other environmentally helpful practices. Education is at the heart of the program, as it used in the school system.

4. Evaluate - evaluate the environmental impact of everything you do. This includes considering what you purchase at the grocery store or mall, where you work, what you drive and every other aspect of your life.

5. Nationalize the principles of responsible paper consumption. Do as much as you can electronically and reduce the amount of paperwork needed for as many tasks as possible.

These simple but important five principles are the core of the Go Green Initiative. More schools are joining this program all the time. This has the result of educating more children in the ways of being environmentally responsible. It allows them to practice these principles every day, as they are used at the schools that join the program.

Many local PTAs, corporations and local governments have partnered with the Go Green Initiative to help spread awareness in communities around the world. The objective of the program is to make everyone aware of the environmental consequences of everything that they do. It is especially geared towards children, but the goal is to have everyone become more aware and educated about responsible environmental behavior. Understanding the Go Green Initiative means learning about what all of us can do to make the planet cleaner and healthier for everyone.