Sustainability at Rosa Parks
Rosa Parks is an environmental science magnet school. We want to fulfill our mission and make
our school healthy and sustainable. Please help us reduce our environmental footprint and teach
our students healthy habits by following some of these suggestions to reduce our waste and toxic
pollution, save energy and water, and curb global warming!
GET INVOLVED!
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Join the Green Committee. We will continue to integrate environmental activities into school
events, support teachers in the Green Star Schools program, and help support the Green
Schoolyards project.
To join or for more information please contact RP parent Susan Silber: 510-558-0821 or
susansilber07@gmail.com
WASTE NOT:
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Reuse notebooks, backpacks or school supplies from last year if possible.
Shop at used clothing stores for back-to-school and save money.
Buy back-to-school supplies with recycled content and avoid PVC notebooks and other
supplies. See the Green Schools Buying Guide for more information:
http://www.greenschools.net/article.php?id=177
Pack no-waste lunches for your kids (see examples on back).
Avoid juice boxes & juice paks (Capri Sun): they are not recyclable.
Model the 4 R’s at home: recycle everything, use the Green Bin for food and yard waste.
Consider buying used products or products with recycled content.
Support the school’s revamped recycling system. Put things in one of the four receptacles:
Recycling: Paper, Recycling: Bottles and cans (aluminum, 1& 2 plastic, glass), Compost: Food
waste, and Trash/landfill.
SAVE ENERGY:
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Reduce phantom loads from your appliances by borrowing the Kill-A-Watt meter from the
RPS library. A kill-a-watt meter is a simple device that measures the phantom loads of various
electronics, including your cell-phone charger, electric tea kettle, DVD and other equipment.
Reducing phantom loads can save you up to $100 per year!
Take action with Cool the Earth. Turn off lights, buy CFL bulbs, turn off computers at night
and consider energy-efficient products.
SAVE WATER:
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Buy a reusable water bottle for your children and yourselves, instead of plastic water bottles
Take Cool the Earth actions, such as turning off faucets when you are done and taking shorter
showers.
TOXINS:
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Buy less-toxic products whenever possible, including cleaners and personal care products.
TRANSPORTATION:
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Try as much as possible to walk, bike or take the bus to school.
Tips for a No Waste Lunch at
Home and at School
Did you know that if you use a disposable lunch, you create between 4–8 ounces of garbage everyday? At a typical school,
this can add up to nearly 20,000 pounds of garbage per year!
Pack a no-waste lunch for work or school with these tips:
 Use a lunch box or reusable sack.
 Pack a cloth napkin and reusable utensils.
 Put food in reusable food and drink containers; avoid juice boxes/juice paks
 Use wax-paper bags, not plastic, for sandwiches – these can be composted.
More ideas:
 If you must use a disposable plastic bag wash it out and keep reusing it.
 Purchase your snacks in bulk size and repack into individual reusable
containers.
 Pack fresh fruit since it doesn't require any additional packaging.
 Pack the right amount of food that your child will actually eat.
What does a waste-free lunch look like?
A Typical American Lunch
(DISPOSABLE)
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sandwiches sealed in plastic bags
fruits and vegetables in plastic
bags
prepackaged chips, cookies, fruit
bars, granola bars, cheeses, and
fruit leathers
prepackaged yogurts,
applesauces, and puddings
crackers, pretzels, chips, and
other snack foods sealed in plastic
bags
disposable juice boxes, juice
pouches, soda cans, water bottles,
and milk cartons
plastic forks and spoons
paper napkins
reusable lunchboxes and
disposable paper and plastic bags
A Waste-Free Lunch
(REUSABLE)
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sandwiches and other main
dishes, fresh fruit, fresh
vegetables, and treats in a
reusable lunch container
cloth napkins
Whole fruits without packaging
stainless-steel forks and spoons
reusable drink containers
Reusable ice packs
reusable lunchboxes
With this type of lunch, lunch food items can be
bought in larger quantities. The packaging can be
left at home for reuse or recycling. Waste-free
lunches are not only a wise environmental choice,
but they are less expensive as well.