STEP 1 - Eco-Schools Committee
The Eco-Schools Committee is the driving force of the Eco-Schools process and the first step towards becoming an Eco-School.
The committee directs the operations of a school's Eco-Schools programme. Whatever form it takes, it must fulfill the purposes listed below and it must ensure pupil representation by:
- Ensuring that the entire school is aware of the existence of the Eco-Schools programme and establish a robust communication structure to ensure regular updates.
- Develop, implement and monitor the school's environmental policy that addresses the environmental concerns of the school community.
- Take the lead in carrying out the initial and subsequent Environmental Reviews (Step 2 of the Eco-Schools Methodology).
- Ensure that all sectors of the school community (especially pupils) are represented in the decision-making process.
- Provide a link between pupils, teachers, senior management and the entire school community and, ideally, the Local Community, integrating the programme within the School Development Plan and the Local Agenda 21 initiatives of the local community.
There is no one particular way how the committee is set up. It might evolve from a group that is already active in the school or it can be set up from scratch through nominations from the head of school or the pupils. It is crucial that pupils are adequately represented in the committee and ideally they should be selected from their peers after the prospective candidates explain why they are volunteering to be on the committee preferably during a school assembly. These pupils should be chosen (or ideally, elected) so that they represent the whole school.
An ideal Committee will also represent the views of the wider, local community as well as the whole school. Members could include:
- pupils from every year - it is essential that pupils have a high representation on the committee
- a member of the school board
- other teachers
- a parent or guardian
- non-teaching staff, e.g. the janitor, facilities manager, business manager, catering supervisor, or health education staff
- a representative from the local community
- a representative from a local environmental organization
The regularity of the Meetings is decided by the school, however some schools undertaking the programme have found that they need to meet more regularly in the initial phases, until their programme becomes established.
Committees should keep records of their decisions in the form of minutes. These should be shared at school management meetings, with all classes/year groups and displayed on the Eco-Schools notice board. Key issues could be raised at school assemblies and with the wider community when possible. Wherever possible, it is recommended that pupils carry out the minuting process and the subsequent dissemination of information.
The sense of democracy involved, and the motivation in resolving initiatives brought forth by the students themselves are products of this process.
Notes:
If your school is an infant school/nursery, you may decide that formal meetings are not practical with such young children. You can still, however, have Committee members who discuss issues, make decisions and update others regarding particular projects. Suitable avenues for disseminating such information could be via circle time or through practical activities.
It is also recommended that you think of ways in which to ensure the continuity of Committee plans and knowledge from one school session to the next. Pupil members could, for example, serve a 1.5 year term with an overlapping 'handover' phase to make sure that new Committee members are not 'starting from scratch'. Continuity planning is also essential to ensure that a school's eco work survives if a key member of staff leaves the school.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland
STEP 2 - Environmental Review
Work commences with a review or assessment of the environmental impact of the school. The results of your Environmental Review will inform your Action Plan; assisting your school to decide whether change is necessary, urgent, or not required at all. It will also help you to set realistic targets and measure your success.
The Environmental Review is crucial to understanding the current environmental situation in a school and provides the basis of the school's Eco Action Plan (Step 3 of the Eco-Schools Programme Methodology).
Schools may firstly quantify their impacts for the theme they are working on (e.g. the amount of waste they are producing and sending to landfill, amount of paper they are consuming, amount of electricity they use, if they are recycling anything, identify litter blackspots, etc.) or cover all the areas in which the school may have environmental impact, namely:
- Litter
- Waste Minimisation
- School Grounds
- Biodiversity
- Energy
- Water
- Transport
- Health & Well-Being
- Sustaining our World
Nevertheless, the school is free to choose other areas of environmental concern that are more relevant to its needs and to devise appropriate checklists accordingly.
In general, schools will then qualify this information by working out, for example, what types of waste they are producing and where in the school the most waste is being generated (e.g. paper from the photocopier, waste from lunch packaging and so forth). However, schools may also undertake a review that includes the wider community (e.g. examine recycling levels at home; examine community attitudes to climate change etc.). One of the most important aspects of the review is to make sure that the results are well documented, displayed and disseminated. The school's notice board is a great place for publicizing and sharing results.
Completing an Environmental Review will ensure that no significant areas are overlooked and will help pupils and the wider school community understand the school's current environmental situation.
You should ensure that the wider school community works as closely as possible with the Eco Committee to carry out the Review. It is particularly essential that as many pupils as possible participate in this process.
Please note that every school should conduct the Review in the way that suits them best, but they should ensure maximum pupil involvement at every stage.
It is recommended that an Environmental Review be carried out on an annual basis in order to measure and evaluate the continuing progress of the school's environmental performance.
This is a very effective way of evaluating your targets and comparing your new responses with those that you originally made which will give you a clear indication of the school's overall progress towards its eco targets and will help you to plan future eco work.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland
STEP 3 - Action Plan
The action plan is the core of your Eco-Schools work and should be developed using the results of your environmental review. This information is used to identify priority areas and create an action plan, setting achievable and realistic targets and deadlines to improve environmental performance on specific issues by listing a number of agreed environmental objectives, along with deadlines and clearly allocated responsibilities for each step. Where possible, it should also be linked to the curriculum, show any cost implications, and specify arrangements for monitoring and evaluation.
As with every aspect of the Eco-Schools process, pupils should be involved as much as possible in the drawing up of the Action Plan.
Make sure that the targets you set are realistic and achievable. Do not be over ambitious as failing to meet targets can be de-motivating for pupils. If your Environmental Review has shown that your school needs to set numerous targets, do not feel that you have to tackle them all at once - prioritise them by dividing them into what is achievable in the short, medium and longer term.
Here are some steps you may want to follow to draw up a successful action plan:
- Gather the results from your Environmental Review. Pick out topics that you want to tackle, e.g. litter on school grounds. Decide what kind of action you can take to improve these issues.
- Decide how you will measure success in achieving your objectives. Make sure it is something that you can measure, e.g. if tackling energy your measure could be a reduction in the school's energy bills.
- Negotiate timescales for each action. Is the target action to be achieved in the short, medium or longer term?
- Decide who is to be responsible for each action. Wherever possible, this should involve pupils.
- Include a section for monitoring any financial costs you may incur with your activities.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland
STEP 4 - Monitoring and Evaluation
To find out whether or not you are successfully achieving the targets laid out in your Action Plan, you must monitor and measure your progress.
As well as allowing you to judge the success of your activities and plan any necessary changes, a continuous monitoring process will help you to make sure that interest in the programme is maintained throughout the school.
Monitoring and evaluating the progress of your Eco-Schools work is an excellent opportunity to incorporate curricular links (Step 5 of the Eco-Schools Programme Methodology), particularly in the areas of Maths, Computer Science and English, as well as developing other skills such as problem-solving, critical thinking and teamworking.
The monitoring methods that you use will depend on the targets and measurement criteria decided on in your Action Plan for the topics you wish to look at and the age and ability of the pupils and other individuals who will carry it out.
In some cases there will be easy and accurate ways to measure progress. These can include:
- Measuring the school's global footprint - a wonderful way of producing real data to show how effective your actions have been. This can be done for one, or several, Eco-Schools topic areas, namely; Waste, Energy, Travel, and Water.
- Meter readings and calculation of energy bill savings - to show the effect of energy-saving action.
- Weighing/counting litter items or waste collected for recycling- to show the effects of litter/recycling initiatives.
- Before, during and after photographs - to show the progress of specific initiatives.
- Before and after species lists - to show the effect of biodiversity/school grounds developments.
- Using questionnaires and surveys to canvass opinions/record data.
As always, pupils should be given the responsibility for carrying out monitoring activities wherever possible. This will help to foster a greater sense of ownership of the school's eco work. The Eco-Schools Committee should also ensure that:
- The results of the monitoring exercises are displayed for everyone in the school to see(e.g. in graphs, charts).
- The entire school is kept up to date with the progress towards achieving agreed eco objectives, perhaps with ongoing results or figures posted on the Eco-Schools noticeboard, or by celebrating the achievement of a target in assemblies.
- Data is stored on an ongoing basis, so that when you apply for an Eco-Schools Award, you can use it as part of your evidence.
Evaluation follows on from monitoring. Evaluating the success of your activities will allow you to make changes to your Action Plan if required.
Your monitoring data will help you to identify if your eco work is on target or not and whether it has been effective or ineffective. You can then decide if changes to your initial targets or activities are required and what these should involve.
One very effective way of evaluating your targets is, for example, to carry out a full follow-up Environmental review, this is in effect a repeat of your original Environmental Review and you can use the same Review document. Comparing your new responses with those that you originally made will give you a clear indication of the school's overall progress towards its eco targets and will help you to plan future objectives.
Also make sure that when targets are met, success is celebrated! Celebration is a powerful motivating agent. Celebrate your school's achievements as widely as possible through newspaper articles, newsletters, during school functions AND within the wider local community. Besides generating a general feeling of well-being that maintains the momentum of the project going, these celebrations provide a great opportunity for the promotion of Eco-Schools.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland
STEP 5 - Curriculum Work
Besides increasing the status of the programme, linking Eco-Schools activities to the curriculum ensures that Eco-Schools is truly integrated within the school community. The general strategy suggested is that of infusing environmental education concepts into the already existing subjects and not that of presenting a new subject. In addition to increasing an awareness of the environment, the weaving of an environmental education dimension in a particular subject enriches the subject concerned and thus makes it more relevant and interesting.
This infusion need not be a laborious task. The amount of linking is dependent on how the curriculum is structured and on the teachers' willingness to engage in this initiative. Teachers might introduce environmental education principles through incidental teaching or even through planned systematic teaching aimed at covering a particular aspect of the curriculum.
Integration into the curriculum does not have to be onerous. It can vary from a short reference when a curriculum topic warrants it, to full-scale linking so that Eco-Schools activities fully cover particular curricular requirements.
When linking the Eco-Schools programme to the formal curriculum, schools will identify areas of the curriculum which will enable young people to:
- achieve required learning outcomes
- enhance their learning experience
- develop informed attitudes
- develop core skills
- transfer skills across curricular areas.
In the cases in which environment and sustainable education are not a part of the national/regional curriculum, recommendations are made as to how this could be incorporated.
Efforts should be made to incorporate environmental education throughout the curriculum, in addition of the inclusion in the more evident areas of study such as science and geography. Schools often come up with their own innovative educational approaches that enrich the learning experience.
Please find below some examples on how the Eco-Schools Programme activities can be linked to the school curriculum:
Languages
- discussing the various aspects of specific environmental issues
- report writing and keeping minutes during meetings
- writing letters to: politicians, education authorities, councillors, community leaders, newspaper editors, business persons, industrialists, etc.
Mathematics
- designing and conducting surveys
- collating results and presenting them as graphs
- carrying out mathematical calculations
- managing finances
Religion
- learning to consider the environment as a gift from God to be enjoyed by all humanity
- considering different ways that children can become stewards of creation
- understanding how a person's irresponsible actions may have a negative impact on others
Social Sciences
- reading/producing maps of the school and the locality and using keys to highlight important sites
- understanding how humans interact with their environment
- using photographs, documents, oral accounts and other sources of information to learn how certain places and lifestyles have changed throughout the years
Natural Sciences
- making observations and gathering data about an environmental problem
- exploring various habitats and the adaptations of plants and animals living in them
- investigating different materials and how they are used
- looking at energy use, loss and conservation
Computer Science
- using spreadsheet software to organise and present research results
- using publishing software to publish reports
- using presentation software to prepare presentations about specific projects
Technology Education
- designing and building a waste separation point based on the various properties of the different waste fractions
- designing and making a waste compacter
Art & Design
- drawing murals and producing sculptures to embellish the school
- producing posters, leaflets, stickers and badges to support campaigns
- organising art festivals and exhibitions celebrating the school's progress in becoming an Eco-School.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland
STEP 6 - Informing and Involving
One key aim of the Eco-Schools programme is to raise general awareness of your environmental activities - throughout the school and the wider community - and to make sure that as many people as possible get a chance to take part. Actions should not just be confined to the school: for example, pupils should take home ideas to put into practice.
Involving the wider community brings a wide range of benefits. Parents, neighbours, local businesses and the local authority can be sources of advice, information, practical help and financial assistance. This is also an ideal opportunity to raise the school's profile within the community through the production of newsletters to parents, press releases to the local paper, Open Days, etc. Eco-Schools Committees may appoint a 'PR' group from amongst their numbers to ensure high visibility throughout the school and the community.
One of the best ways of involving the whole school is to organise a regular, school-wide 'Day (or Week) of Action'. This is an opportunity for everyone in the school - pupils, teachers and other school staff - to get together to work towards achieving some of the targets set out in your action plan. 'Days of Action' need planning; both to allocate responsibilities and to make sure everyone knows about them and what to do.
However, the day-to-day involvement of everyone in the school's eco activities is essential. Activities such as recycling, saving energy and water and litter awareness can only be a success if everyone is involved in doing them.
The following are some ideas how the Eco-Schools Committee can plan for dissemination:
Involving the whole school
- hold a school-wide election campaign for pupil representatives on the Eco-Schools Committee.
- dedicate school assemblies during which prospective pupil representatives can explain to the rest of the school why they are contesting the elections.
- publishing information gathered during the environmental review on the Eco-Schools notice board. The whole school can be kept updated regularly about the progress being made in addressing the targets set.
- hold school-wide surveys to gather information about the state of the school's environment.
- regularly utilise assemblies to launch Eco-Schools activities and to communicate any progress made. Children can be encouraged to utilise diverse presentation methods (e.g. drama, music, presentation software) to make their communication more effective.
- publish information about the Eco-Schools activities on the school's website (or in its absence ... produce an Eco-Schools website for the school).
- hold a school-wide competition for the wording and design of the school's Eco-Code.
- organise a yearly Eco-Schools celebration event during which the whole school can celebrate the success achieved during the year.
Involving the community
- produce a newsletter that regularly keeps parents updated about the Eco-Schools process. Copies of the newsletter can also be sent to other members of the community (e.g. local council, parishes, local businesses).
- send letters to local businesses seeking support for initiatives.
- ask resource people from the community to come to the school to give talks or offer help in particular tasks.
- hold press releases publicising Eco-Schools activities, research results and achievements.
- hold community-wide surveys to gather information about the environmental issues that are mostly relevant.
- disseminate the school's Eco-Code within the community.
- invite people from the community to attend the Eco-Schools celebration event.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland |
TEP 7 - Eco-Code
The Eco-Code is a mission statement. It should demonstrate, in a clear and imaginative way, your school's commitment to improving its environmental performance. It should be memorable and familiar to everyone in the school.
The Eco-Code should list the main objectives of your Action Plan, covering real actions that pupils and staff intend to carry out. It is crucial that pupils play a key role in the development of the eco-Code, as this will give them a greater sense of responsibility towards the values the Eco-Code represents.
The content of the Eco-Code should be reviewed on a regular basis to ensure that it continues to reflect the school's eco aims and targets.
The format of the Eco-Code is entirely up to the school. It could be a list of statements, an acrostic, song/rap or poem. The format should be appropriate for the age/ability of the pupils concerned.
The Eco-Code should be prominently displayed throughout the school; i.e. in every classroom, in communal areas, on Eco Boards and in the staffroom. The Eco-Code could also be released to the local press and the general public.
Sources: Eco-Schools Programme Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Malta, Eco-Schools Programme Northern Ireland, Eco-Schools Programme Scotland
The Eco-Schools Award is the Green Flag.
After one year of implementing the Programme and reaching a high level of performance in complying with these seven elements, among other mandatory criteria, Schools are then awarded the Green Flag. In some countries, the Green Flag is the culmination of a multi-level system such as bronze, silver and gold awards.
Before receiving their first Green Flag, schools must be assessed by means of a visit, after the first Green Flag, other means of assessment are allowed, although visits are always recommended. Assessment should be carried out on a yearly basis.
National Operators are free to decide the expiration term of the Green Flag Award within a minimum of 1 year and a maximum of 2 years. Schools are encouraged to aspire to the continuous improvement of their Environmental performance, namely through the adoption of different Eco-Schools themes. |
http://www.eco-schools.org/page.php?id=64
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