There are now 74 Roscommon schools participating in the Green Schools, 50 of which have Green Flags. Green Schools is about whole-school action for the environment, with the main focus in the initial phase being on litter and waste. Research has shown that active green schools have reduced waste by over a half. Schools follow a seven step programme in order to attain their Green Flag, which is in effect an environmental management system for their school. Roscommon County Council supports all participating Green Schools by providing them with free compost bins and clean up materials. The Council's Environmental Education Officer liaises with schools on an on-going basis, gives talks to students and assists them in getting the Green Schools programme started. For further information, contact the Suzanne Dempsey Environmental Education Officer or visit www.greenschoolsireland.org
Green Schools Themes
The Green Flag is a progressive and continuous environmental programme designed for schools, at both primary and secondary level. The programme works on themes, each of which take approx 2 years to adopt. Examples of themes:
- Waste & Litter Management
- Energy Awareness
- Water Conservation
- Green Home
Starting
The Environment is a huge subject, so when taking on the Green Schools project for the first time be aware that help is available - from Green schools at An Taisce www.greenschoolsireland.org and from the council's Environmental Education Officer.
When you decide to become involved in Green Schools your first task is to register. Registration forms are available from Green-Schools Office, Environmental Education Unit, An Taisce, Unit 5a, Swift's Alley, Francis Street, Dublin 8 Tel: 01 400 2222 Fax: 01 400 2285 E-mail:greenschools@antaisce.org..
Once you register your school you will automatically receive information on the programme along with a Green Schools handbook with details of 7 key steps to take in order to achieve Green Flag Status. The handbook is also available at www.greenschoolsireland.org
The Application Procedure
Applications for a Green Flag are made to An Taisce, who carry out an assessment in the school before awarding a Green Flag. You should have completed the 7steps outlines in the handbook. The programme should have been running in the school for a minimum m of 6 months before you can apply for your flag. And while you do not have to have all tasks on your action plan completed, you must demonstrate that the action plan, review, green code etc, are in place.
The Application
The application is a bound version of the committee's responses to the 16 application questions found on page 18 of the handbook. For the first flag, An Taisce requires three bound copies of the application. A completed copy of the Award Application Form should also be attached (see page 20 of the handbook). Remember applications must reach the An Taisce office by either of the Green Schools Applications Closing Dates (so allow time for postage). A short time after your application has been sent off, Roscommon County Council will contact you regarding an assessment visit. Flags are normally awarded at a ceremony in Galway Bay Hotel, Salthill in March or May of each year.
A quick step guide to achieving the Green Flag - more details at www.greenschoolsireland.org
The Waste and Litter Management Theme -Theme One
The environmental themes on which you must focus for phase one of the programme are waste management and litter.
Green Schools Handbook.pdf (size 446.5 KB)
With regard to waste you should concentrate on implementing the waste management pyramid. By incorporating the ideas below and other projects into your action plan, you can demonstrate waste management according to the pyramid.
Here's Some Examples:
Avoid i.e. A healthy school lunch policy will eliminate many sweet wrappers.
Reduce i.e. Photocopy all paper in 2 to 1 format, thereby cutting paper waste by half.
Re-use i.e. Encourage the use of lunch boxes and drink bottles. Reuse envelopes and waste paper.
Recycle i.e. Use local services to recycle the 'dry recyclable' fraction of waste and compost organic waste.
Using the waste management pyramid will probably require that you put a 4-bin system in place. Here's what is meant by a 4-bin system:
Bin 1 - Non-recyclable landfill Waste
Bin 2 - Organic compostable waste
Bin 3 - Recyclable waste
Bin 4 - Re-use items (envelopes, paper, newspaper, bottles etc).
Some Ideas on litter!:
Why not dedicate one full session to discussing litter. Invite a guest speaker. Assess the schools litter problem by identifying where it is, where the litter originates, what is it made up of and ideas to combat it. Organise litter patrols. Take part in National Spring Clean by organising one bigger clean up during the month of April. Make a anti-litter Pledge.
Energy Awareness - Theme Two
Once you have received your first green flag, it is now time to start working on the new energy awareness theme. Your flag must be renewed every two years, and so the time between your first flag and the renewal date should be spent on encouraging energy conservation and awareness. But don't forget about the waste management systems and litter projects you put in place to gain your flag on the first occasion. Try to keep these going, repeat projects that worked well and try to introduce at least one new project for both the litter and waste management themes.
Green Schools Handbook.pdf (size 446.5 KB)
Where to start with Energy
Most energy is spent on 1) Heating 2) Lighting and 3) Powering appliances. Through your review calculate how much is spent on heating and electricity in both money and energy units (Euros, Kilowatts and litres of fuel). Now through your action plan think about how you can reduce both energy and spending and increase energy awareness.
Sustainable Energy Ireland Interactive Primary School Workshops
Roscommon County Council arrange Sustainable Energy Ireland Interactive Primary School Workshops annually which have a climate change and sustainable energy theme. These workshops are suitable for Senior Primary Pupils. Spaces are limited. Please contact the Environmental Education Officer.
Useful Link:
For resources and information on Energy log onto Sustainable Energy Ireland Website. www.sei.ie
Water Theme for Green Schools
You may be surprised to find out how much water your school is actually using. You may also be surprised to find out how easy it is to significantly reduce the amount of water you are using at school. You can find out by carrying out a simple water audit.
This webpage provides downloadable resources in English and as Gaelige on:
Conducting a Water Audit at your School
Education Resources
- Information Sheets
- Activity Sheets
Useful Link
Conserve Water at School
Schools Water Information Evening
The information evening will explain the bill, show how the water meter works, how to read it, how to check for leaks and water conservation advice.
Green Home - Theme Four
An Taisce have selected six schools in County Roscommon to participate in Phase III of the Green Home programme. Phase III of the Green Home Programme, which begins in September, will involve 40 new schools nationally.
The schools selected have completed at least three themes. This new programme provides the opportunity for schools to reach out to the householders in their community and encourage environmentally friendly practices. As acknowledgement of the links made with the home, schools will also be awarded a Green Home flag by the EPA. This flag can fly beneath the main Green-School's flag. For further information n the Green Home Programme , log onto www.greenhome.ie
Once a School has registered for the programme they can under take the seven steps or elements to the programme. The steps are as follows:
- Appoint a Green-Schools Committee. The Green School Committee comprises pupils, teachers, non-teaching staff, parents and members of the community. The committee directs the school's involvement in the project.
- The Environmental Review. This step involves the School examining its environmental impact in order to identify targets for action and improvement.Examples:
- Compost organic waste generated within the school e.g. fruit peelings
- Recycle cardboard, paper, plastic bottles, etc.
- Pupils and teachers to use both sides of paper when photocopying.
- Set up a garden that pupils can maintain and care for.
- The Action Plan. This comprises a number of specific time-tabled targets identified from the review. Examples:
- Compost all organic waste in school by 2005/2006
- Recycle all cardboard, paper, plastic bottles by 2006
- Declare the school yard a litter-free zone September 2005
- All lights switched off in classroom at end of each day
- Monitoring and Evaluation. This ensures that progress towards targets is followed, that any necessary changes are made to the action plan and that achievement is celebrated. It further ensures that environmental education and care is an on-going process in the school. Examples - The students could be asked to draw up graphs/pie charts to display information like:
- Amounts of litter collected in the school yard on a monthly basis
- Survey of attitudes of students towards litter/recycling etc.
- Amount of waste collected for recycling
- Reduction of waste from landfill
- Integration of the project into curriculum work. This is provided by the curriculum materials which give good ideas on how to integrate environmental issues into lessons. Examples:
- Essays on litter and its damaging effects
- Essays on the importance of a clean environment
- Craft work made from recycled material diverted from landfill
- Art projects on the local environment and wildlife
- Make a bird table
- Set up a garden
- Informing and Involving the Wider Community with the project. This is a publicity campaign that keeps the school and wider community involved and informed through displays, assemblies, press coverage and a day of action. Students can link up with tidy towns associations or could get involved in National Spring Clean Week.
- Formulation of a Green-Code: This is a statement of the school's environmentally friendly ethos. Examples:
- "Don't be a fool Recycling is cool"
- "Do not throw litter on the ground, but bin it if it's lying around"
- "An empty room does not need light, so switch it off and close the door tight"
When the school has adopted the seven steps of the programme they can apply for the Green-Flag Award. The school's application is reviewed and if necessary recommendations for further action are made. When the recommendations have been implemented the school is given an assessment visit. Once a school has been awarded The Green Flag it can fly the Flag for two years and then it has to renew its application. A new web site was launched recently for the green schools and any information needed about the programme is easily accessible on this web site: www.greenschoolsireland.org
There is no specific time frame for the seven steps to be fully implemented - each school is different and the success of the programme may take some time. However once registered it is recommended that you should set the school a target of two years to apply for your first green flag. Secondary Schools can be more challenging and it is important to take it step by step. Generate small targets and be successful to keep students motivated.
Green Schools Calendar 2009/2010.pdf (size 90.6 KB)