What is the Eco Schools programme?
- It includes three levels of award: bronze, silver and Green Flag.
- It gets everyone in the school working together to make the school environment better.
- It promotes environmental awareness as part of school life.
- It involves pupils, teachers and other staff and the local community.
- It gives many benefits, including more knowledge and care for the environment, savings on school energy bills and better links with the local community.
Eco Schools topics
There are eight topics in the Eco Schools programme:
- litter
- waste reduction
- energy
- water
- transport
- healthy living
- school grounds
- biodiversity.
How to become an Eco School
This is what you need to do to become an Eco School:
- elect an Eco Committee: the committee keeps records of its decisions and important items are displayed on the Eco noticeboard
- carry out an environmental review: this will show strengths and areas for improvement
- choose one or two areas to work on
- make an action plan and say how it will be done, who is going to do it and when it will be done
- set targets in small steps, celebrating each success – do not be over ambitious!
- make sure that your projects link to your school work
- make sure your school grounds litter free
- be committed to making things better
- have ways to measure improvements and success
- keep the whole school up to date with progress, at assemblies and an Eco noticeboard
- have an Eco Code that shows your school is committed to improving its environment.
Involve everyone by:
- having members of the local community on your Eco Committee
- organising a 'day of action' , giving everyone a chance to work together
- publicising your activities in newsletters, photocalls and press releases
- contacting local businesses and working with them
- encouraging pupils to do environmental activities at home.
Good luck – and enjoy the challenge!
Useful web links
- Eco Schools Scotland
The Eco Schools Scotland website tells you all about the awards, how to apply and has free resources for Scottish schools. It also has a teacher free zone designed especially for pupils. - Recyclezone
The Recyclezone website has games, activities and advice about recycling and reducing rubbish at school and at home. - Think Energy Students Zone 7-11
The Think Energy Students Zone for 7-11 has lots of activities about how to reduce the amount of energy we use and how energy works. - Glass Forever
The Glass Forever website has interactive facts and information all about glass recycling.
