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DCL
Proms are the perfect symbol of high school excess: expensive dresses, limousines, catering, decorations...it all takes a toll on the environment. So I was really proud of Lowell High School students from my home state of Michigan. They are throwing their very first "green" prom this year, and showing the rest of us that a formal event can indeed be green with a little creativity.
While some of the students are really going all-out, making prom gowns and jewelry from recycled items, for example, that level of green-ness is strictly voluntary. The student committee in charge of the event focused on how to make the event itself as eco-friendly as possible. I was impressed with many of the creative ideas they came up with. Check this out:
1.Students collected unwanted ceramic and china plates to be used for dinner, then washed and donated to local charities and shelters.
2.A group of students has volunteered for composting duty after the meal, scraping uneaten fruit, vegetables, and bread into bins to be composted.
3.The students grew the ingredients for the salad, as well as many of the herbs used in the main course, making local food an important part of the event.
4.Prom tickets will be printed on paper infused with flower seeds so the students can plant the tickets when the event is over.
5.In lieu of flower arrangements (since most flowers are definitely not grown sustainably!) the students crafted metal flowers from food cans to use as centerpieces at each table.
6.Buses have been chartered to transport students to and from the prom.
What a great way to make some meaningful, lifelong prom memories. And kudos to the school's staff for supporting these students in their creativity. It's amazing what we can come up with when we decide that we really want to live lighter on the Earth.
Watch Video: Global Green Helps Schools Become More Eco-Friendly
