Click on a main topic below to see which Arlington County schools have projects in that area. Subtopic links provide detailed instructions.

Energy conservation

• Organize a campaign to conserve energy in the school
• Turning out lights
• Turning off computers
• Using heating and cooling efficiently

Healthy school environment

• Create a healthy school lunch program--local and organic
• Organize to ban soda, candy, and fast food from school grounds
• Eliminate pesticide use
• Reduce use of toxic cleaners

Recycling and solid waste reduction

• Compost food waste
• Recycle paper, bottles, and cans
• Organize an educational program on lunch waste
• A Trash-Free Lunch Experiment: Measuring “Before” and “After” (317kb pdf) Courtesy of NCSS. Learn more about National Council for the Social Studies at www.socialstudies.org.

Schoolyard habitats, gardening, and outdoor learning

• Enhance the school grounds through cleanup, planting projects, and/or certifying the school as a National Wildlife Federation schoolyard habitat.

Stewardship and community projects

• Organize a trash-to-treasure drive
• Plant trees or pick up litter in a neighborhood park
• Sell CFL bulbs for PTA fundraiser

Water quality protection and water conservation

• Clean up a neighborhood stream
• Install a rain garden
• Mark storm drains with "Don't Dump" message
• Organize a campaign to conserve water in the school

Learn more on our Resources page.