Eco-Friendly Lifestyle as a High School Student
High School students may find themselves limited in what they can do to support an eco-friendly lifestyle in their home or school community. However, there is a number of steps a student at the high school student can take to promoting an eco-friendly behaviors such as composting, recycling, conserving water, and using less electricity by turning off lights. Beyond such actions, high school students can also gather local support and awareness about the importance of supporting renewable energy. For example, students can express their concern about promoting eco-friendly schools before their school board or via communication to their state governor.
The Facts
Schools and Conservation
Studies show kids in the United States waste 50% of the food on their plates — primarily fruits and vegetables. This is significantly more than other countries, adding up to 540,000 tons of wasted food annually.
Schools and Waste Management
Recycling and waste management continues to be a challenge.
Out of 2,000 Americans, 62% worry about recycling incorrectly — 68% think they can recycle plastic utensils, while 54% believe a greasy pizza box is recyclable. Schools can educate students about proper waste management. Waste is not limited to by products of food. For example, 31 million Chromebooks that schools issued to students in 2023 ended up in landfill.
Schools and Energy
Schools spend over $6 billion a year on energy — for perspective, they spend more money on energy consumption than textbooks and other teaching materials.