Online high schools have many benefits for individual students, but being “green” is one that is often overlooked. Many factors that can increase the carbon footprint at traditional schools such as paper waste, school transportation and energy costs are virtually non-existent online, making online school an environmentally friend educational choice.
Provost Academy, Colorado’s new online high school, is celebrating Earth Day by highlighting the top five ways online high school is greening the way high school students learn.
1. Reduced Energy Use – Did you know that on average, K-12 schools across the country spend more on energy costs for their building than textbooks and computers combined? According to the EPA, nearly 30% of that energy is wasted or used inefficiently. While the school-issued laptops at online schools consume some energy, it is not nearly the amount used at a traditional school.
2. Paperless – Each year the average American uses approximately one 100-foot tall Douglas fir tree in paper and wood products. At traditional schools worksheets, tests and textbooks make up a considerable part of the curriculum and over the course of a school year that paper waste can really start to add up. Nearly everything is administered through a computer at online schools. Even textbooks are virtual documents. Often, the only piece of paper received by an online student from the school is their high school diploma!
3. No Commuting – By attending school from the comfort and safety of the home, online school decreases the amount of fuel being consumed by families. U.S. cars contribute to half the world’s total CO2 emissions. By removing two trips to a traditional school every day, online schools make a dent in the amount of greenhouse gases families are releasing into the atmosphere.
4. Less Waste – Considering the number of students and faculty who are at traditional schools, you can imagine the amount of waste can be significant. From school lunches to school supplies, and replacing equipment traditional schools create and dispose of on a daily basis. By not having a physical building, an online school considerably reduces the amount of waste produced.
5. Recycled Technology – Most online schools, like Provost Academy, issue laptop computers to every student. However, those laptops are returned to the school once the student has completed their coursework and are refurbished for the new class of students. This type of recycle and reuse mentality helps minimize the imprint online high schools are leaving on the planet.
When it comes to helping the environment, small changes by individuals can make a difference; even when it comes to choosing a school. Online schools make smaller impacts on the environment by using fewer resources overall. Students at online high schools in Colorado are benefitting not only from an education that is customized for them, but have the added benefit of attending a school that is leaving less of an impact on the environment.
