Big Picture

There are a million things to worry about when dropping a child off at daycare. Is there adequate supervision on the playground? Do the children have access to cleaning products or other chemicals? Can strangers find their way into the classroom? But just like any other business, parents should also ask, IzzitGreen? Children are our planet’s future in more ways than one, and by looking at the kind of environment and education a daycare center provides you can ensure it will be a bright and green one.

Factoids n' Stuff

• 42% of children under age 5 with employed mothers spent at least 35 hours a week in child care. (Urban Institute)
• The largest portion of a daycare center budget goes toward staff wages.
• For a child to get the most out of educational activities, including lessons on the environment, it’s imperative they be age appropriate.

What Goes In?

Childcare requires a physical space, but the facility itself plays a huge part in how green a daycare can be. Does the organization own its own building or rent one? Or does it use a room in a church or community center? If they rent, do they do their own cleaning or does the building owner? Does the daycare have its own kitchen and laundry facilities? Do the parents share in some of these responsibilities? If the daycare has its own outdoor space, does it use it to give children access to nature?

Resource management may be significantly influenced by health codes; it may not be possible for the daycare to use real plates instead of paper. Even so, a daycare can make it a priority to educate children about conserving water and paper towels during hand washing. Do they talk about food waste during snacks and meals? Are they striving to use energy efficient light bulbs and appliances? Does the center recycle, and more importantly, encourage the children to recycle? Do they buy a lot of new craft supplies, or do they creatively reuse magazines, fabric and yarn scraps, and old containers?

What Comes Out?

It takes a village to raise a child, and a good daycare center should strive to be a part of the village. How does the daycare contribute to the community? Do they collect unwanted books or clothing, or hold a drive once or twice a year to help keep these items out of the landfill? Is the center engaged with local green initiatives, such as caring for nearby parks?

The best way to teach young children about being green and set a foundation for a lifelong passion for the environment is to lead by example. Does the center teach lessons on the importance of conserving water or actively encourage it during hand washing? Does the center stop at craft activities about birds or bring the children outside to observe them?

How's it Run?

It’s in a center’s best interest to minimize the use of commodities like paper products, energy, and water because it’s cost efficient. Does the center buy bulk industrial cleaners and paper towels, or spend a little more on eco-friendly cleaners and laundering reusable rags? Does the center do the little things that add up, like put recycling bins near the front door for the parents? Is the staff dedicated to conserving classroom materials?

What They Care About

One of the best ways to ask IzzitGreen is by asking for a copy of the daycare’s mission statement or philosophy. Do they spell out a commitment to environmental education or sustainable practices? If they don’t, you can still take a good reading from the kind of organization they are. Are they a for profit or a not-for-profit? Are they affiliated with an eco-friendly community, or a religious denomination that embraces environmental stewardship?

What to Ask

• How much does the center recycle?
• What cleaning methods does the center use?
• Does the center use reusable drinking cups, plates, and napkins?
• What materials does the center use for craft activities?
• Are environmental topics incorporated into lessons?
• How does the center utilize outdoor space?
• In what ways does the center engage with the community?
• What kinds of opportunities do parents have to become involved with the center and the classroom?

What to Do

• Take a close look at the work children bring home. Projects that show the child’s individual creativity, such as their drawn interpretation of a beaver dam, indicate effective lessons. A mass-printed coloring book page of a beaver does not.
• Watch for your child to demonstrate sustainable behaviors, such as using minimal toilet paper. If they start telling you to use less paper, even better.
• Make unannounced visits to the classroom: you can quickly gauge whether the center is truly dedicated to green practices or is just putting on a show for your benefit.
• Get involved whenever you have the chance. Sign up for parent duties like bringing home laundry, or sign up to bring snack. That way you can guarantee these chores are done with environmental consciousness. Or if the center doesn’t have enough recycling bins, offer to bring some in.

Find Out More

• Tips on teaching recycling from littlegreenblog.com
• The Green Schools Initiative
• How to Green Your Baby from treehugger.com