The 10/10 Initiative is a global movement that thousands of international schools and businesses have joined. The goal was to reduce our carbon emissions by 10% in 2010. On Earth Day last year, the entire middle and high school pledged to follow the campaign individually and as a school by signing the carbon footprint world banner. Although 2010 has passed, we still need to continue working on becoming a more ecological school. If everyone of us does their part, then we can significantly reduce our school's carbon footprint.
What can you do?
Basics:
- You can start by offsetting you carbon emissions for every school-related trip by paying 1000 HUF (in the school cafe) on top of the trip money. Global Issues used last year's money to plant organic fruit trees in our school orchard, which is located behind the tennis courts. We hope to raise even more money this year so we can place sensor light switches in the bathrooms.
- Don't forget to bring your own refillable water bottle instead of buying a plastic bottle every day. Even doing this once a week will reduce your carbon footprint by 20%.
- Be sure to turn off the lights and put the computers to sleep when they are not being used!
- Recycle your plastic bottles, juice boxes, and paper in our recycling bins. There should be one in every HS classroom.
Take a look at this list. If you can do most of these even just a little—just 10% of the time, just once every two weeks—then you will be doing your bit to help the whole school reduce it’s carbon footprint by 10%.
Print Double Sided.
Turn off lights when not in use—empty bathrooms, sunny classrooms, etc.
Put computers to sleep as you leave the terminal.
Bring your own water bottle and refill. Don’t buy water in plastic bottles.
Save water and paper when you wash your hands.
Bike or walk to school or take the bus or share the ride.
Reduce printing and photocopying. Print less from the internet and email.
Buy carbon offsets when flying. Take fewer trips.
Bring a sweater to class and turn down the radiators.
Recycle paper and plastic.
Use ceramic coffee cups. Buy less coffee.
Buy less bottled soda.
Only buy as much food as you will eat.
Eat more vegetarian, eat less meat. Eat much less beef and dairy.
Use your whole notebook. Reuse notebooks.
Turn in work electronically whenever possible.
Take shorter showers.
Reuse printed paper for posters, quizzes, notes, outlines, etc.
Unplug chargers and devices on standby. Use rechargeable batteries.
Buy products with less packaging. Buy less.
