1. Pollution. 2. Car idling. 3. Green washing.
Find out what pollution sources
are near (or in) your school, if
there are violations and how
they compare to other parts
of town or other schools. Go
to https://echo.epa.gov/.
This is a compilation of every
facility regulated by the federal
government (and often state).
Just type in a town or zip code
and a map will appear showing
regulated facilities. If you click
on them, you’ll see those in
violation of standards related to
safe drinking water, pollution,
and air quality, etc. Is one near
the school? Why? Interview the
company, and students, about
these hazards. Does your town
in general have more hazards
than a neighboring one? Why or
why not? Go to EPA’s bus page and its
car idling page. Here, students
can read the science why
diesel buses and idling cars are
unhealthy. Students should ask
the school superintendent’s
office what types of buses are
used in the district and what
pollution controls these buses
already have or if any are
planned. Students can then
spend an afternoon counting
idling cars at drop-off or pick-up
and interviewing drivers. Fact-check the school’s green
goals and also any renovation
projects. What are a school
district’s recycling goals? Do they
say they’ve met them? Fact-
check by talking to custodians
and “going undercover” to see if
the recycling goals are actually
carried out, i.e., are custodians
mixing paper with regular
garbage? Are students ignoring
the blue recycling containers?
If your school has a renovation
project planned or ongoing, go
to the local building inspector
and request the building and
demolition permits. Is asbestos
and lead present? Are they taking
the proper precautions to protect
workers (often the answer is no)?