These days, activists and educators alike talk about the health benefits of going green at school. But even if you reduce air pollutants or conserve energy enough to prevent serious health problems, any lingering environmental issues can still affect children when it comes to academic performance. William E. Roberson of the Fort Wayne (IN) Journal Gazette cites recent studies that suggest students perform better in green, sustainable school environments.

Of course, numbers don’t always tell the whole story. For example, maybe schools that can afford to go green can also afford better educational resources and more qualified teachers for their students, which in turn may lead to better academic performance. At the same time, it’s not hard to imagine that breathing in formaldehyde from a less-than-green school desk or taking a test with the air conditioner on at full blast can affect a student’s concentration.

So what’s the best way to keep your classroom green and your students bright-eyed and attentive? Ask them what they think. You can ask questions about how you could help them feel more comfortable in class, hand out surveys, or even set up an in-class roundtable discussion where everyone suggests ways to make the classroom green, such as bringing in plants to improve oxygen flow or setting up cleanup crews to regularly sweep up dust and keep the room spic and span. Whatever you do to make your classroom greener, keep students involved and let them take ownership over their classroom environment so they can breathe their best and do their best.