Ennis C.B.S is applying for Green School Status
Whyb do we want to be a Green School?
Green-Schools, known internationally as Eco-Schools, is an international environmental education programme, environmental management system and award scheme that promotes and acknow-ledges long-term, whole school action for the environment.
The aim of Green-Schools is to increase students’ and participant 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. Schools that have successfully completed all the elements of the programme are awarded the ‘Green-Flag’. This award has now become a well-recognised Eco-Label. The award has to be renewed every two years.
Green-Schools (Eco-Schools) is an initative of, and co-ordinated on an international level by, FEE (Foundation for Environmental Education). There are currently over 14,500 schools in 37 countries in Europe, Africa, Asia, Oceania and South America taking part in the programme.
What are we doing to gain green school status?
We are adopting Reduce, Reuse and Recycle whereever possible. We have reduced our waste by getting the pupils to bring home the leftover luches and all packaging. Leftover fruit is kept in wet bins in clasrooms and is composted on a weekly basis. We encourage the pupils to use recylabele lunch boxes and to reduce the amount of packaging. We are encourging a helathy eating programme whereby all junk food is banned at both lunch breaks. This is good for their health and substantially reduces the amount of packaging and litter at home. We are encouraging the pupils to appreciate their environment. We have planted sunflowers in summer time and we have a tree trail throughout the grounds. Classes have bought bulbs and planted them on the grounds. Window boxes are remewed annually by 6th class pupils. We recycle batteries and mobile phones.