I and others in our school community were committed to reducing plastic waste, starting with the single-use plastics we used to serve drinks and food. However, I sensed varying levels of concern and hesitancy: Families were unanimously in favor of reducing plastics, but they were wary of the additional upfront cost of buying reusable cups, plates, bowls, and silverware and of running their dishwashers more often. Teachers were concerned about the additional time and effort it would take to manage reusable materials for food and drinks.
After more in-depth discussions, I realized that we all had different levels of understanding and passion about environmental issues and that there were different routes to attaining our shared goals. Over time, I also discovered that these initiatives were more successful with teacher buy-in, which meant conversations and compromises rather than hard and fast rules. After trying a few strategies, we ultimately found that the most effective( and sustainable) solution was to ask families to send children to school with their own snacks and drinks, preferably in reusable containers. As an added benefit, we found that this change provided children with opportunities to practice fine motor and self-help skills. In addition, because they could bring what they wanted to eat and save any leftovers, there was far less food waste. children now visit the garden regularly, observing seasonal changes, engaging in hands-on explorations, and harvesting what they grow. This rich variety of learning experiences shows the power of collaboration and of connecting children( and communities) with nature.
With the support of families and the broader community, we also accomplished tasks that would have been impossible for us to do on our own:
› Our composting program began when a representative from the town’ s composting plant visited our school.
› When we needed to remove several trees from our grounds, an arborist volunteered to explore the trees with the children, a teacher made a book about the experience, families repurposed the wood, and we planted new trees to replace the old ones.
› Our local child care council provided Briarcliff with two small grants, which we used to further our environmental goals.
These efforts reflect the potential that emerges when educators, families, and the community unite around shared values and a commitment to meaningful learning.
Partner with the Community
To ensure that we didn’ t place too much of a burden on our teachers, I worked with families on the Briarcliff board to identify ways that they and the larger community could help us with environmentally friendly initiatives. Through casual discussions, I discovered that most families already included their children in sustainable practices like growing vegetables, recycling, and composting. They seemed eager to help our school community reach its environmental goals.
Bolstered by the knowledge that school gardens can foster children’ s learning( e. g., Rainville et al. 2021), a dedicated group of families came together to create a garden on our school grounds. The garden was designed and built by some family volunteers. Another group of volunteers prepped the garden and planted alongside children and teachers during school hours. Families created a schedule each year to water, care for, and prepare the garden for winter. Teachers and
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