When you hear the word “playground,” eco-friendly may not come to mind. Playgrounds are designed for children to play freely and exert energy. They serve as community hubs for locals to gather and exchange commonalities. In addition to the allotted recess time, playgrounds also provide schools with the chance to offer outdoor teaching lessons. 

Schools and parks are continuing to prioritize sustainability efforts as more people learn about the impact of certain actions on the planet. As a result, these institutions are considering how to pay it forward and making greener choices. Playgrounds can play a part in a sustainability initiative, providing an opportunity to further concentrate on protecting the earth while also functioning as a play area for kids. Here are three ways schools and parks are reducing their environmental footprint with eco-friendly playgrounds. 

1. Utilizing Sustainable Materials

One way that schools and parks are thinking about Mother Earth first is by using sustainable materials in their infrastructure. Today’s playgrounds can be built with eco-friendly materials, many of which are recyclable or natural materials. For instance, surfacing can be from rubber mulch made from tires. This soft surfacing is splinter-free and will help brace accidental falls and tumbles too. Bamboo — a renewable resource — can be used in various playground structures as well as fencing. 

In terms of playground equipment, many pieces can be made using recycled plastic or recycled wood. Recycled plastic often looks like traditional plastic; it’s just made from leftover materials that could have ended up in a landfill. Wood can be highly durable and long-lasting, especially when treated correctly. It can be used as wood chips for ground cover or bolted together to build new equipment or make seats for picnic areas. 

One of the main concerns with using sustainable materials is that it won’t look like a modernized playground. This couldn’t be farther from the truth! Many of these recycled, sustainable materials can be painted and purchased in fun and vibrant colors. You may just be surprised to see the possibilities. And upon first glance, many visitors may not even realize that the playground is eco-friendly in the first place. 

2. Adding Natural Elements

A playground in the middle of an open field is nice, but it can be more attractive with landscaping around it. Incorporating natural elements into the playground and surrounding areas can beautify the space and promote a sense of calm and well-being. Seeing a butterfly land on a nearby plant or watching a tiny bud pop open into a pretty flower are awe-inspiring moments that will delight children. It also promotes a sense of connection to nature.

When thinking about which natural elements to add, look at your space first and consider what your guests would like most. For instance, a few larger trees can provide shade for standing adults watching the children play. Adding a row of low bushes around the perimeter of the playground can help create a natural barrier from the play area to the park. Logs and stumps can also be used to help designate play zones. 

When bringing in these plants and other natural elements, be sure to consider biodiversity as well. Native plants and trees will attract local wildlife while also holding true to the area’s needs. There’s a reason that certain plants survive better in different parts of the world. A palm tree isn’t going to thrive in snowy Vermont, after all! It may be helpful to conduct some research or hire a professional botanist or horticulturist to design the space. Doing so will help ensure that the area is landscaped with the area’s needs in mind.

3. Reducing Waste 

Lastly, schools and parks that are focused on sustainability should also consider ways to reduce waste within the play area. Solar-powered lighting is an option to keep the playground well-lit without using up any electricity. These devices can be purchased at hardware stores or big box retailers and placed around the area. They are often triggered by low lighting, meaning just as the sky is turning dusk and children are being called back inside, the lights will go on. Solar panels are more of an expense, but can be particularly beneficial to school yards when large areas need to remain lit throughout the night. 

Another way to reduce waste is to focus on recycling and composting. Having clearly labeled bins for recycling and compost bins in handy spots around the playground can deter guests from throwing garbage in the trash can. For example, if there is a nearby picnic bench, be sure to place both containers near it. Of course, this type of system requires some education as well. Look for bins that designate what can be recycled and what can be composted. 

Schools can add composting to their curriculum and education so children know the benefits of throwing scraps of food into the bin as opposed to chucking it in the garbage. Science teachers can even do an outdoor lesson on where the compost goes and how it turns the soil into nutrient-rich food for the plants. Small steps can make a big impact when it comes to reducing overall waste and protecting the planet.

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BioCouture is a London-based design consultancy that is exploring a more sustainable way to develop materials. Forget plastic that doesn’t biodegrade. Forget wood that depletes our forests.

Nature offers a bounty of more renewable materials that simply require a little love to cultivate.

Founder and director Suzanne Lee has turned to living organisms such as bacteria, fungi and algae, as well as cellulose, chitin and protein fibers like silk to pioneer materials for future consumer products.

And now she is going to share her knowledge with Beirut’s forward-thinking design community.

In each interactive three hour workshop, where food and kitchen utensils are the only materials required, Lee will demonstrate how to grow a culture using a specific recipe.

She will also encourage discussion about local alternatives and potential applications for the material grown – be it in the fashion world or design.

Sarine Zaken’s lacy bacteria

Everyone will be given a culture so that they can continue to experiment at home.

For a sense of the bio-designed future towards which Lee is heading, check out the BioCouture-grown shoe (below) currently on display in Paris as part of the “Alive/En Vie” exhibition.

Also, take a peek at her book Fashioning The Future: tomorrow’s wardrobe.

The Beirut workshops will be held on Thursday and Friday, the 27th and 28th of June from 9am to 12pm at the Tawlet Souk El Tayeb in Mark Mikhael.

Interested? Sign up here.

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