ORANGEBURG, S.C. — It takes small steps to make a big environmental impact. Brookdale Elementary School is on track to become the first Green Steps-certified school in the county.
"We need to do something that will save our environment since we are the future," said Brookdale Elementary school teacher Delorise Childs.
Childs said she's guiding her students toward a greener future.
"During earth week, we actually had everyone in the cafeteria to tap their trays on the trash can and stack them, and we found that we use less garbage bags all because we stacked the trays," Childs said.
The school received two awards through the Green Steps program for its environmental projects. The program is sponsored by the Environmental Education Association of South Carolina and helps schools earn awards for their projects.
Students collected and recycled ink cartridges from the school's inkjet printers. They also started a community garden that became a collaborative effort for the entire school.
"I didn't think it was going to be as big as it was. I just thought we would just plant something out there, and everybody would take turns, but it turned into a whole lot more," Childs said.
When the school receives Green Steps certification, it will be the first in Orangeburg County and will be mentored by the Orangeburg Soil and Water Conservation District.
"These projects will help the students understand why it's important to protect the air, the soil, and the water," said Orangeburg Soil and Water Conservation mentor Diane Curlee.
Brookdale Elementary School has plans to become certified in time for the upcoming school year. Their next environmental project will be substituting chemical-based cleaning supplies for orange peels.