Green-Schools is a European educational programme which promotes responsible behaviour towards the environment among school children and the wider community.
Known internationally as Eco-Schools, Green Schools is an international environmental education programme, environmental management system and award scheme that promotes and acknowledges long-term, whole school action for the environment. The Green-Schools campaign in Ireland is managed by An Taisce, the National Trust for Ireland and it is run in co-operation with Local Authorities throughout the country.
As a learning resource, it aims to increase students’ and participants awareness of environmental issues through classroom studies and to transfer this knowledge into positive environmental action in the school and also in the wider community.
One of the key success factors of the Green-Schools programme is that it is a themed programme. That is, schools undertaking the programme work through a seven step programme for each theme.
The themes in sequence are:
- · Litter and Waste
- · Energy
- · Water
- · Travel
- · Climate Change
This process helps pupils to recognise the importance of environmental issues and take them more seriously in their personal and home lives. As an award system, Green-Schools promote and acknowledge long-term, whole-school action for the environment.
Scoil Eoghain has started the process of working towards becoming a Green School. Pupils and staff are working together on the theme of ‘Litter and Waste’ and the first three steps of the seven step process have been completed.
The Green Schools Committee has been up and running since December 2014.
The Green Flag Pupil Committee is as follows:-
Chairperson - Rachel Mc Court
Vice Chairperson - Leah Eichinger
Secretary - Ben McDermott
Treasurer - Patrick Gillen
P.R.O - Ruairí McCourt
There are also other representatives from every class level. The committee have met on numerous occasions. They carried out an Environmental Review and from that created an Action Plan. They now meet every fortnight to monitor and evaluate the action plan. We have allocated litter monitors to every classroom and hold regular litter checks in the school yard. Results are regularly updated and displayed on our Green Schools Noticeboard.
Scoil Eoghain is working towards gaining the Green Schools Flag. As part of this initiative we have created a recycling station within the school. We are looking for old batteries, ink cartridges, stamps ad uniforms. We hope to use these items to raise funds for the school and other charities. We are also collecting used or unwanted story books and novels – both for adult and children. Congratulations to Conor Farren in 5th Class whose entry into our Green Schools Code competition won first prize. This code states the objectives that demonstrate our school’s commitment to environmentally friendly actions and it will now be displayed around