Rogers Middle School in Long Beach, California is doing fantastic work to conserve water and raise awareness on campus as part of Grades of Green’s Fall 2017 Global Water Challenge. Rogers is an all-star Grades of Green School that was awarded as a finalist in 2015-2016 Trash-Free Lunch Challenge, and now they are adding water conservation to their repertoire of Grades of Green Activities.
In addition to making personal habit changes, such as turning off the tap and bringing a reusable water bottle, Rogers’ students are also inspiring a sustainable culture at school by arranging for weekly meatless meals (meat has a large water footprint) and by emailing information about conservation to science teachers to share with their classes. Green Team students are also spreading the word on campus about why water conservation is important by creating research-based posters. For example, one Green Team group researched the amount of water that it takes to make a latte, a coffee drink that many of us take for granted every day. Their poster illustrates the water that goes into the production, processing and packaging processes, and shows that it takes 30 gallons of water to make a single latte!
In addition to their research and awareness campaign, the Rogers Green Team is working on their 1-minute innovation video with their solution to a community water project, which qualifies them to become a Water Challenge Finalist with the chance to win an $1,000 education grant to put their idea into action.
What is the Global Water Challenge?
The Global Water Challenge is Grades of Green’s first virtual challenge program designed to inspire students across the globe to take action to conserve water at school and in their communities. Student leaders at participating schools are taking on the goals of saving water, inspiring their communities to care for the environment, and innovating solutions to local water issues. The Spring 2018 Challenge, which kicks off in January, will be open to 75 schools of all grade levels across the world, engaging a total of 160,000 students in water conservation and green leadership.
Inspired by Rogers and want to join the Spring 2018 Water Challenge? REGISTER your school for the Water Challenge by December 15th!