Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Take a field trip
Get out of the classroom and into the Chesapeake region with a fun and engaging field trip. For inspiration on where to learn about the people, animals and history of the Chesapeake, check out our lists of cultural and natural history museums.
Photo Credit: Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program
Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Plant a butterfly garden
Starting a butterfly garden at your school is a hands-on way to introduce students of all ages to gardening and native plants, and teach concepts including migration, metamorphosis and habitat needs.
Photo Credit: Will Parson/Chesapeake Bay Program
Bay Tips > In Your Backyard
Tip: Reduce Food Waste
Don't throw egg shells in the trash—use them in garden as fertilizer, pest control or mulch.
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Bay Tips > In Your Backyard
Tip: Conserve Water
If you water your lawn, do so in the early morning, when the water will not evaporate in the heat of the day. Make sure the water gets completely on the lawn, not on sidewalks or driveways.
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Bay Tips > In Your Backyard
Tip: Reduce Herbicide Use
Instead of chemical weed killers, try dousing weeds with boiling water, table salt or vinegar, or pulling them out and digging up the roots.
Photo Credit: Alexander Lukatskiy/Shutterstock
Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Foster environmental literacy
Look for ways to incorporate the environment into book reports or class book discussions. Eco-Fiction has a list of young adult books with environmental themes.
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Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Foster environmental literacy
Teach students about issues such as climate change, forests and blue crabs to engage them with what’s happening in the environment where they live. Bay Backpack is a site designed to help teachers create environmental lessons for students and contains hundreds of resources on a variety of topics.
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Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Walk or bike to school
Cut emissions entirely by arranging a bike train or group walk to school.
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Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Carpool to school
Reduce emissions by arranging a carpool in your neighborhood.
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Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Swap clothing
Consider a clothing swap with classmates or donate clothes that don’t fit anymore. For schools with uniforms, set up a day to exchange skirts, pants and shirts that have been outgrown for larger sizes.
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Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Encourage recycling
Check out your school’s recycling programs. Are recycling bins available and are people encouraged to use them? Make sure you know what can and can’t be recycled, and spread the word.
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Bay Tips > At School
Tip: Reduce waste
Use a lunch box instead of plastic or paper bags for lunch. Buy reusable, sealed containers for drinks, sandwiches, snacks and other lunch items instead of re-sealable plastic bags.
Photo Credit: Africa Studio/Shutterstock