Green Teens is a new program introduced in Fall 2008 to reach out to young environmentalists through training and hands-on demonstrations and allow them to educate their peers, as well as their community, on ways to green their lives. The program includes educational and practical components to facilitate long-term, positive changes in attitudes concerning waste prevention, reduction, reuse, and recycling. The Green Teens program will focus primarily on the students at Birdville High School in its inaugural year and plans to expand to other B.I.S.D. schools in following years.
Green Teens will initiate programs in Birdville High School that include a paper recycling program, zero waste lunch initiative, use of non-toxic cleaning supplies, e-waste recycling, and a "park your car, ride your bike to school day." Green Teens will also involve the community by awarding local business with a "Green Teen Approved" window decal after specific criteria met.
A unique aspect of Green Teens includes an innovative, youth-oriented and targeted marketing campaign. Green Teens will provide education by producing an environmental PSA, creating and maintaining a Green Teens web site and MySpace page, and using a weekly "text tree" to provide helpful tips to peers. Additionally, Green Teens will utilize a video-enabled social network to send video emails, create video podcasts, have group video chats, and streaming video.
The Green Teens will benefit the community in multiple capacities such as targeting the teen demographic, allowing the participants to have ownership in the program, educating the community on environmental issues, building a sense of community, and implementing environmentally-friendly practices into their daily lives.
The Green Teens program is made possible by North Richland Hills Parks & Recreation Department in cooperation with the North Central Texas Council of Governments through funding from the Texas Commission on Environmental Quality. For more information, please contact Lori Newman at 817-427-6620.
