Green schools need more than a task force and a dream to make themselves sustainable. Some green schools devote entire buildings to sustainability, while other green schools renovate their buildings to attain LEED® certification. Others, like schools in Mount Airy, NC, are going green in the lunchroom by replacing potentially harmful styrofoam lunch trays with a biodegradable material called Enviroware. According to the article in the Mount Airy News, styrofoam takes a few decades to break down in the environment, contains carcinogens, and can clog up an unsuspecting animal’s digestive system. On the other hand, Enviroware should break down completely in about 9 months and is non-toxic.

The Mount Airy News also reports that Enviroware only costs about a penny more per tray than styrofoam, making it even easier to go green in a tough economy. Of course, if the school system feels especially progressive, maybe they can take the plunge and get some eco-friendly lunch tables to complete their next renovation. But regardless of how far green schools are willing to go to set a sustainable example for the community, the news from Mount Airy once again illustrates that it doesn’t always take a big commitment to make the planet a cleaner, greener place.