Website: www.greenschoolsireland.org
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Summary
An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland operates the Green-Schools programme in Ireland on behalf of FEE. Green-Schools, (internationally known as Eco-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. In Ireland, Green-Schools is operated as a three-way partnership between An Taisce, Local Authorities and the schools. This partnership has proved very successful, with Local Authorities working closely with schools on the ground and the Green-Schools Office of An Taisce running the administration, coordination, and development of the programme. Local Authorities, Greenstar (Ireland's leading integrated waste management company), Coca-Cola Bottlers Ireland and The Wrigley Company Ltd. provide financial support for the Green-Schools programme in Ireland. The programme is also financially supported the Department of Environment, Heritage & Local Government. Currently, (June 2006), there are 2,330 schools (Montessori, pre-school, primary, secondary & special) in Ireland registered for the programme. This represents over 55% of all schools in Ireland. 895 schools in Ireland have received the Green-Flag.
Irish schools participating in the programme are introduced to the themes on a phased basis. Schools are encouraged to focus on one theme at a time, rather than trying to address a wide range of environmental topics in one go. Schools in Ireland initially address the theme of Litter & Waste, working through the seven steps and are awarded their first Green Flag on this basis. Awarded schools have to renew their award every two years and in this time they have to add a new theme to their programme. So, after Litter and Waste, they introduce Energy to their programmes, then Water and then Travel. Therefore, a school working on the Travel theme will be participating in the Green-Schools programme a minimum of 6-7 years. At present 895 Irish schools are at various stages of working on the energy theme.
Results
To date 2,330 Irish schools are involved in the Green-Schools programme. This represents 55% of all schools in Ireland and equates to 550,000 students and over 30,000 teachers. 895 schools have achieved the Green-Flag. These schools will all be at various stages of the Energy theme. Research into the impact of the Green-schools programme in 2001, indicated that when it comes to diversion of waste from landfill awarded Green-Schools were showing an average reduction of 45% waste to landfill in comparison to schools only starting the programme. Recent updating of this work is indicating that this reduction of waste to landfill is now at well over 60%. This equates to a direct diversion of waste from landfill from Green-Schools in Ireland of around 5 tonnes per day. Estimates of the indirect diversion from landfill achieved by Green-Schools i.e. in students' homes and in the wider community is probably a factor of tens times the direct level. This equates to thousands of tonnes diverted from landfill every year.
From an energy anecdotal evidence and individual case studies and examples would indicate 40-50% decreases in energy consumption and consequently in Carbon emissions achieved by Green-Schools.
The 2001 research also looked at impacts of the Green-Schools programme on student environmental knowledge-awareness, behaviour and opinion leadership. This work indicated a significant behaviour change associated with the programme and also indicated that the change is associated with opinion leadership and not awareness. The role and leadership of the teacher was also found to be pivotal.
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An Taisce - The National Trust for Ireland Environmental Education Unit
