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PMES Environmental Committee Programs 

• Throughout the year the committee will focus on one aspect of environmental education each month.
• September: Water Conservation
• October: Beautification
• Gwinnett Great Day of Service October 2
• We had over 20 volunteers show up to help us expand our outdoor classroom areas.
• Thank You to everyone who sent donations and gave us your time.
• New Butterfly Garden near the playground sidewalk. Complete with rain barrel donated by our own PTA environmental committee. Mrs. Suggs will be maintaining this garden for the students to enjoy. If you have any questions about the plants or butterflies please contact her.
• The kitchen garden behind the cafeteria was replanted and mulched.
• The raised beds behind outside the kindergarten doors were replanted with flowers and bulbs for the spring.
• Inside the kindergarten fence, a bench, archway and small garden was added.
• Two new picnic tables were contructed and stained.
• November: Waste Reduction and Stewardship
• December: Education and Stewardship
• January: Energy Conservation
• February: Beautification and Waste Reduction
• March: Clean Air
• April: Earth Week
• Check the website often for more information and lesson plan ideas.
• New water bottle recycling program located in the cafeteria under the big red apple! Please empty the bottles before depositing them in the bin. If you would be willing to take some home for curbside recycling please let us know via email. In the future we hope to secure a collection trailer that can be driven down to the Gwinnett Recycling Center. If you would like to donate a trailer or help with this effort we would greatly appreciate it.
• Paper recycling guidelines for the red and green bins behind school can be found at S&P recycling.
• Other recyclables include cell phones, printer and laser cartridges, and rechargable batteries. There should be a collection box in the school lobby for these items.
• Expansion of outdoor classroom areas. Wish List :)

 

Pick Your Green Battles

 

Environmental journalist Lori Bongiorno shares green-living tips and product reviews with Yahoo! 

 

 The sheer number of "green" choices we can make is astounding. And, since it's totally overwhelming (not to mention impossible) to try to do everything, it makes sense to stop worrying about the stuff that ultimately doesn't matter.

Instead focus on the areas where your actions will make the most difference. Making changes in what you eat, the way you get around, and how you use energy at home (and work) will have the biggest impact on the planet.

That's not to say that small things don't add up. They do, but some count more than others.

Don't stress about these three classic choices because they don't make much of a difference:

·  Cloth or disposable diapers? All diapers have an environmental impact. Disposable diapers are often bleached with chlorine (a highly polluting process) and ultimately end up clogging landfills. Cloth diapers are typically made from conventional cotton and require energy, water, and (sometimes) harsh detergents to wash them. There are greener alternatives, such as organic cotton cloth diapers and disposables that forgo the chlorine bleach, but in general, one choice is not better than the other so pick what's convenient for you.

 

·   Paper or plastic bag? Like diapers, it's a toss up. Producing paper bags is energy and water intensive. Plastic bags are made from oil and can harm wildlife when they make their way into large bodies of water. Unlike diapers, there's another choice you can make: Carry your own reusable bag when you can. Not your thing? Reuse or recycle that bag when you're done with it and move onto something else.    

 

·  Disposable cup or ceramic mug? It's not a "major sin against the environment to use an occasional paper or plastic cup," according to The Consumer's Guide to Effective Environmental Choices: Practical Advice From the Union of Concerned Scientists. The group says throwaway cups take up little space in landfills and don't require much energy to make. But, it says, you shouldn't be wasteful just because a "few dozen (or even a couple of hundred) disposable cups a year will have little environmental impact." The upshot? Use that mug when you can (especially at work or home), but don't feel guilty when you can't.

 

Instead, focus your time and energy on these more important actions which will benefit the planet and save you money:

 

·  Eat less meat. Raising livestock is one of the most significant contributors to a long list of environmental problems from climate change to deforestation to water pollution. No one is suggesting you go vegan, but anything you can do to cut back on meat will make a big difference. Start by trimming down your portion size to about three ounces (the size of a deck of playing cards), suggests Aaron Huertas at The Union of Concerned Scientists.

·  Take good care of your car. Tuning up your engine, replacing your air filters and motor oil regularly, and keeping your tires properly inflated will improve your car's fuel economy by 8% to 20%, according to Jenny Powers at the Natural Resources Defense Council.

·  Make changes in how you do your laundry. Wash your clothes in cold water. Up to 90 percent of the energy used for washing clothing goes to heating water, according to the Department of Energy. Rack up even more savings by air-drying some of your clothing.

 

Want to do more (or something different)?

·  Anything you can do to drive less or more efficiently will make a difference. Bundle errands, shop online, walk, bike, and take public transportation whenever you can. Try carpooling or telecommuting once a week. When it's time to buy a new car, purchase the most fuel-efficient vehicle in the class of car you need.

·  There are countless ways you can save energy (and money) at home. Here's a short list of free and low-cost ways to make a difference (in order from least to most impact):

• Turn out unneeded lights
• Unplug an extra fridge
• Use the energy-saving mode on appliances
• Install a programmable thermostat
• Seal large air leaks
• Add insulation to your attic

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!!!!Gwinnett's Recycling Center Reopens!!! 

The Recycling Bank of Gwinnett, located at 4300 Satellite Boulevard in Duluth, burned to the ground in June of 2008 but will reopen bigger and better to serve as our community’s one-stop mega recycling center.  

The BIG GREEN Help :