School-Wide Environmental Behavior Changes
Monthly Newsletters |
The monthly school-wide newsletter (Bodkin Banner), Bodkin Blog, grade level emails along with ConnectEd messages are our main source of communication. We celebrate many parts of the Bodkin Elementary community and frequently celebrate the activities and accomplishments of our students. We are able to advertise and educate our community about upcoming events, broadening the net of interest and involvement. The PTA maintains a column in the Bodkin Banner about environmental updates to keep parents an students informed on the latest school environmental news.
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Paperless Reminder to Stay Connected
Task Lighting |
In our classrooms we tone down harsh overhead lights by adding energy efficient task lights to workstations to provide light where it is needed. Task lighting helps reduce the glare on computer screens and reduces eye-strain. It also reduces energy consumption and energy costs.
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Green Consumables |
Bodkin Elementary uses "Green Cleaners". By choosing less hazardous products that have positive environmental attributes and taking steps to reduce exposure, we are minimizing harmful impacts to our custodial workers and all building occupants, improving indoor air quality, and reducing water and air pollution.
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Impervious Surface Reduction |
We maintain raised mulch beds to our playgrounds. This allows rainwater to penetrate though the surface, storm water runoff is greatly reduced and water is allowed to disperse throughout the subsoil and provide needed sustenance for trees and shrubs.
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Crayola Marker Recycling |
Bodkin has joined Crayola's ColorCycle sustainability initiative designed to repurpose Crayola markers (or other brands).
Marker boxes are located in each grade level's hallway. Markers are collected bi-weekly by students and turned into a PTA representative for shipping. |
PTA Green Support |
Bodkin's PTA is phenomenal. In 2017, as a way to support our Green School Initiatives, they switched from using plastic tablecloths to purchasing GREEN CLOTH table covers which will be reused for years to come. In addition to this, as an incentive to join our PTA, students were given Bento boxes with a PTA membership.
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No Idling Zone
Our car rider line can be very long! Students created signs to place in our car rider lines to remind parents to turn off their vehicles while waiting for their children, thus reducing our carbon footprint. In addition to the student created art, plastic signs were also purchased.
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Student Driven Sustainability:
Polystyrene Ban |
On June 4, 2018, Staff and Parent Volunteers from Bodkin met with the head of Anne Arundel County Public School's Food and Nutrition services to discuss lunch waste- specifically eliminating Styrofoam trays in the school cafeteria. This is an ongoing conversation to see if Bodkin can pilot the use of environmentally friendly, recyclable trays.
Students, Teachers and Parents were motivated by Baltimore City Schools. |