Paper waste is a big problem in many different areas of life, including our schools. The education sector has a duty in terms of a green agenda, ensuring that paper usage is reduced to help causes such as deforestation and sustainability. Children of all ages should understand the impact of paper waste on the environment and with the right approach, schools can leverage paper waste recycling to the benefit of wider learning.
Let’s take a look at some of the ways in which you can reduce paper waste in schools, such as utilising a shredding provider, using digital learning tools, and educating pupils through recycling initiatives.
1. Digitisation of learning
Advances in technology coupled with the specific challenges that the pandemic and lockdown learning posed, has ensured that every school has gone through the digitisation of learning processes. Digitisation helps to significantly reduce paper waste in schools, as cloud learning allows for paperless learning in every area of education and helps to reduce costs.
2. Recycled school supplies
Wherever it is possible, make a conscious effort to purchase supplies that are manufactured from recycled materials. There are loads of different supplies where this is possible, such as notebooks, pencils, pens, as well as toilet roll, and cleaning supplies, to cover the whole school operation. Make sure that the recycling symbol is visible on the items you purchase, as this feeds into the teaching element and awareness of sustainability.
3. Recycle your paper waste with a shredding service
If you do still have some paper waste, after digitisation and other methods of reducing the carbon footprint of the school, you must look for a regular shredding service to help you deal with waste in a secure and effective way. Teaming up with a professional shredding service provides the choice of on-site or off-site shredding on a regular basis. This means that you can get into a routine with the pupils, collecting all waste materials to be shredded on a weekly basis. This protects personal information from the administrative side of the school and helps to boost recycling initiatives and to help create an environment of sustainability.
4. Start a ‘Green Club’
Reducing paper waste should incorporate more than just the actual practice of reducing paper use. Instead, there should be joined-up thinking that includes educating the children. It doesn’t matter whether your school is for primary age children or older, a ‘Green Club’ will help to raise awareness of sustainability through school-wide campaigns and recycling projects that can be classroom recycling programmes, litter picking, and other environmentally-friendly pupil-led initiatives. This can be regular paper waste collection for shredding, collection and recycling of batteries and electronic waste, amongst other things.
5. Digitise notices and homework guidance
One area of school life that can be easily changed to cut down paper waste is where homework guidance and school notices are concerned. Many schools are already using digital platforms for different areas of school life, and implanting an online portal for school notices and homework assignments is another great way to cut out the use of paper while also developing the digital skills of students.
Utilising a paper shredding service, from a professional company such as Pulp, will help your school to meet exacting standards that concern recycling and the environment, alongside crucial learning and development tools that teach the children about the importance of such matters. These tips to reduce paper waste in schools will go a long way to helping your school to become more efficient, boost your environmental and sustainability credentials, to educate children beyond the classroom and into their daily lives at home and in the future, and to have more control over data and data security.
