How can you make these important changes? There are a lot of steps you can take on your own. In our fact sheets, we've given you ideas about individual actions that will make a difference. Another way is to get together with other students to form a Green Squad at your own school. Together, you can increase recycling at your school, improve its indoor air quality and save energy, to name just a few possibilities. The tips below should help you get started.

For many of these projects, you'll need help from adults. Many changes need to be made by school officials, or they might affect areas of the school you don't often use (such as the kitchen) or decisions you're not normally involved in (such as buying cleaning products). In those cases, you will need to work with your teacher, the principal, your parents or some other adults. We give you ideas on that too -- people you could ask for help and what to ask them.

Starting your own Green Squad

• Assemble the members: Your Green Squad can be a small group of friends, an entire class or a cross-section of your school. If you want to create a big group, make sure everyone knows that the Green Squad is forming. Tell your friends and put a notice on bulletin boards and in your school newspaper.



• Get an advisor: You'll often need the help of an adult who can give you advice or act as a link to custodians, the principal and other staff in your school district. Your teacher might be a good choice, but don't forget about other adults at school, such as a nurse or a librarian.



• Set rules: Will you meet on a regular schedule, or only occasionally? Will your Green Squad have a leader? Will you have homework to do between meetings? You can set up your Green Squad however you want, but it's important to establish some clear rules at the beginning so everyone knows what to expect -- and what's expected of them.



• Get permission: Make sure you have permission for all of your activities. For instance, if you want to examine areas of your school that are normally off-limits to students, check with your teacher or principal first. Your advisor can help with this process.



• Get the word out: Make sure the rest of your school benefits from what you find and what you learn. Consider organizing a meeting to discuss your efforts, or producing a special Green Squad newsletter (on recycled and unbleached paper, of course!).

Finding help

• Your parents: The adults at your house are in a great position to help you -- but only if they know what's happening at your school. Tell them! Let them know about any activities or practices you think may be affecting your health or the environment.



• Teachers: Just like you, teachers spend their days in classrooms and other school areas, so they share your concern about keeping the school healthy and safe.



• Your principal: Since your principal is in charge of the whole school, it's important for him or her to know of any problems you might find and to hear your suggestions for solving them.
  
  Schedule a time to talk to your principal about your concerns.
  
  When you do talk to your principal -- use lists, maps and charts to illustrate the problems you found. For instance, list the areas where you've discovered mold, or make a map or chart that shows places where your school could save energy.



• Your school's custodians: Your school's custodians probably know more about the school building than anyone else. They can answer a lot of your questions and give you important information about the practices at your school.
  
  Interview a custodian. There's a lot you could ask about: how often your school paints, what kind of cleaning products it uses, how it controls pests, how it takes care of its heating and air conditioning system -- to name just a few topics.



• Your school board: Your school board sets policies that affect your school and the other schools in your district.
  
  School boards don't hear from kids very often. But since their decisions affect you, you should let them know what you think. If you're concerned about any of the policies in your school district, write a letter or send a petition to your school board, explaining why you're worried and making suggestions for changes you'd like to see. For instance, you might write a letter asking the board to buy clean buses or consider using solar energy. [link to samples] Or you could start a petition asking your school to use less harmful methods of keeping insects out of your school.



• Your school district's environmental safety coordinator: Many school districts have someone whose job it is to make sure that schools protect the health of the people inside them, as well as the environment outside.
  
  Invite your school district's environmental safety coordinator to your class to discuss the policies your school district follows. You could ask him or her about pesticides, cleaning and maintenance practices, ways to save energy and other subjects. (If your district doesn't have an environmental safety coordinator, consider asking your district to appoint one.)



• Your school's PTA: The PTA brings parents and teachers together to make your school a better place. Ask your parents to present your concerns to the PTA. Or go with them to a PTA meeting.



• Your teachers' union: This group helps teachers with all kinds of concerns -- including those related to health and environmental problems.



• Local environmental or health groups: These groups are experts at keeping healthy and fighting pollution. They can give you lots of information and advice to use at school.



• Elected officials: You are represented by many elected officials, including city council members, your congressional representatives and your governor. Sometimes it helps to let them know about your concerns, and a letter is usually the best way.